A New Spark
by paronomastic
Summary: Does history repeat itself? Katniss and Peeta's daughter is faced with the choice of being with the boy she's grown up with or the too-perfect son of former victors, Finnick and Annie Odair. What's a love story without drama, though?
1. Chapter 1 - tracker jackers

When my mother talks about the "Dark Days", I know she's not referring to the ones a hundred plus years ago. The decade before I was conceived there was another uprising, one that started with a handful of berries. Everyone speaks of this rebellion as the most courageously stupid thing two kids could do. I've never seen a Hunger Games recap, nor do I care to. It sounds utterly barbaric and when we learn about ancient Rome, they tell of coliseums full of people watching men take on giant animals for the amusement of the crowd. The two are about the same in my eyes. The Dark Days my mother speaks of sound horrific and while her and my father like to say it's all in the past, my brother, Cinnick, and I know differently. There are still occasions when our parents wake up screaming. When I was little it scared me half to death. My mom flinches when she sees an ordinary rose. Father nearly hyperventilates when he sees bees or hornets. Cinn and I know nothing of the stories behind these fears, but we know it has to do with the Dark Days.

These thoughts clear my mind as a branch snaps in half, the noise unbeknownst to the other children in the yard surrounding our school, but with the hunting instincts my mother passed on to me, I'm always acutely aware of my surroundings. Smiling up at the dark-haired, gray eyed boy taking my sunlight away, I raise my hand to allow him to help me to my feet. It's been the talk of the town since we turned thirteen that we were going to fall in love. Growing up as the closest of friends, thickest of thieves, it was no wonder people assumed a boy and a girl could only be friends for a matter of time. Teen years, hormones blossoming, it was just a matter of time before they were caught kissing in the woods on their hunting expeditions. Those were the thoughts of the towns people, anyway, not of Katniss Everdeen-Mellark's daughter.

The skinny but muscular girl was too much like her mother to care about kissing boys and dressing in flashy dresses. The shoulder length brown hair she refused to cut was as close to feminine as she got. At the age of 7 her mother took her out into the woods to learn how to use a bow and arrow, and her fate was sealed. Dolls and tea parties were of no interest to the child, just as gossiping and shopping were of no desire to her mother. There were quietly heated arguments between her mother and father, the ones she and Cinnick weren't supposed to hear but always did. Their father would always accuse their mother of being too strong with Prue and too gentle with Cinnick. Mother would accuse father of being too careful with their daughter and expect too much backbone from their son. It was their worst insecurities surfacing and reflecting directly on their parenting. Regardless of how they tried to guide us, Cinnick and I were going to be our own people. It just so happened that we were very similar to our respective parents, through no fault of their own. My brother, a strong but silent, beautiful boy who couldn't help but befriend everyone. Myself, stern and strong, quiet but strong in my convictions.

Playfully shoving her friend, Prue grinned as she saw the handful of cackling girls nearby gasping in – what? Shock? Awe? Jealousy? It was no surprise that the nephew of Gale Hawthorne and the daughter of Katniss Everdeen-Mellark would naturally gravitate towards each other. It was equally no surprise that they would have the strange relationship Gale and Katniss had growing up. Everyone wondered if they were dating, or if once their parents allowed it if they would allow themselves to take the road Katniss never took with Gale. It was Rory that came back to District 12 hoping Gale would follow. He'd always wanted his brother to end up with the girl on fire. He'd settled down in the growing district hoping that when his brother's work was done in District 2 that he would somehow feel the pull to come back to the land he grew up on. There was no such luck. Gale Hawthorne visited periodically, taking a short bit of time to break from his leadership job in the capitol to see his growing family. Hazelle, Vick and Pozy had all come back to District 12 as well, seeing no fit for them in a city outside of the capitol. Pozy tended to visit her brother frequently after graduating however, finding the colors and sparkly appeal of fashion in the big city to draw her in.

As Prue and Deen Hawthorne walked away from the school grounds, she found herself amused at the group of girls they passed, their faces contorted in confusion and disgust. They were the type of girls that spent hours getting ready in the morning, took great pride in how their hair was fashioned, and would just die if their clothes were soiled. Prue, however, was more like the typical boy, rolling out of bed at the last minute, grabbing whatever was closest to her and looked decent enough before grabbing whatever her mother or father had on the table and running out the door. Her long hair was always either braided down her back, or in a high ponytail on her head, finding no need to spend precious time pinning or curling it when she could be tucked nice and warm in her sheets for a few more minutes. Deen was naturally handsome no matter what he wore, but the girls found his rugged looking pants with his warm flannel button up to be just dreamy when his only concern was it's practicality. He enjoyed being warm, it was as simple as that. As the two walked back towards Victor's Village, Pru couldn't help but wonder why she inherited her mother's love for hunting, hatred for fashion, and indifference to relationships. It didn't bother Prue that she never had a boyfriend, nor did she care that her clothes were never the type to be worn in the capitol. She took great pride in being able to climb trees and know what berries she could and couldn't eat, but some days when her friends at school were giggling about boys or gushing over a new bag, Prue felt like an outsider, like some freak that had grown a second head because she had never owned anything velvet. Turning to look at Deen's strong profile, she wondered why she didn't have an angry swarm of tracker jackers in her stomach when ever other girl gushed at the sight of this. She wondered, did Deen think she was as strange as she felt she was?

"Wait up!" Shaking herself out of her self-reflection as Cinnick's voice rang out from behind her, Prue smiled sweetly at the blonde haired boy running to catch up with them. Now that was one child that would never be considered a freak. His bubbly personality coupled with his stunning good looks made him a favorite of everyone. He was incredibly smart, talented in more things than he could hope to master, and genuinely humble to boot. If Prue hadn't loved him with every fiber of her being, she might very well kill him.

"What was taking you so long, lover boy? Little Rose Parker didn't try and drag you behind the shed to kiss you again, did she?" Winking at Cinnick when he caught up, Deen wrapped his arm around the other boy's shoulder as we continued on.

Warm sweet rolls and hot chocolate always awaited us in the winter, making it one of my favorite seasons. Hunting was more difficult in the cold, the snow covering everything made us louder, and trees were harder to climb. The hot cocoa made it all worth it, though. Tossing my jacket and shoes to the side as the boys and I tumbled over each other to see who could get undressed and into the kitchen quickest, Deen unintentionally knocked me forward as I froze momentarily. Something was different in the house. It looked just the same as any other day, but it was somehow off. Hearing a laugh in the kitchen that I hadn't heard before, I pushed myself off the ground, shoving Deen away as I stood up without his assistance. The high-pitched, almost crazy laugh was coming from my kitchen, and was immediately followed by another, deeper one. Seeing Deen and Cinnick pause in the doorway only solidified my fears. Intruders. Running to them and shoving them both aside to make my way through, my hostile, ready-to-pounce expression turned to one of confusion immediately. A beautiful, skinny, dark haired woman sat at the table beside my mother with a man 10 years or so older than myself. Looking over to see dad cleaning a tray at the sink, I could tell these were no strangers by the warm smile he couldn't remove from his face.

"Children, I want you to meet our old friend Annie, and her son Finnick."

My blood ran cold immediately. I'd never watched a Hunger Games, the information we were given in school about them was never much, but the rebellion was an important part of our schooling, and there was one name that was always brought up. Finnick Odair. Not to mention the mixture of his name with our parent's friend Cinna, that's where my brother's name had come from. Studying the pair for a moment, I figured I couldn't stand in the doorway forever. Offering my hand to Mrs. Odair, I nodded my hello before passing the table and grabbing two still warm buns off the stove and my mug of hot chocolate. Planting a quick kiss on my father's cheek, I left just as quickly as I'd entered, walking quickly but carefully up the stairs to avoid spilling the cocoa.

Crashing on my bed as my brain continued to race, I couldn't help but wonder what the two of the most known District 4 residents were doing in my home. Still sipping my warm chocolate drink as the bedroom door opened, my eyebrows quickly knotted with confusion as my mother entered.

"Prue Johanna Mellark, you get your little butt downstairs in the next five seconds or I will beat it raw so help me.."

Glaring at a snickering Deen behind her, I held back my own laughter as he immediately stopped once my mother's hand swatted his stomach. Letting go of quiet giggles as his expression turned stern, he couldn't help but swat my head in retaliation. Deen was practically family, so such exchanges were never weird for us. His uncle Gale and my mother were always very close, which meant she was always around his father, Rory, in their youth. When the Hawthornes' returned to District 12, our family and theirs were just as close as before, if not closer.

Shoving the last of the roll I had in hand into my mouth, my puffy cheeks about to burst, I followed Deen into the living room where everyone had gathered. My mother, father, Mrs. Odair on the couch; Deen ran to sit next to Cinnick before I could grab it, leaving the other love seat the only place left to sit. Unable to offer a smile as I continued to chew my roll, I shifted uncomfortably next to Finnick. It was eerie how much he looked like his father. History books and pictures my mother had kept the first Finnick Odair's face fresh in my mind, but this was just plain creepy. Unable to help myself, I continued staring at his profile. He might be 27 (based on some quick calculations acquired by my history books noting his dad's death) but he looked barely old enough to drink legally. Deen was handsome, without a doubt, and there were men all throughout District 12 that women found stunning, but this man made our men look pathetic. His chiseled jaw and broad shoulders were enough to drool over but the lower you went the better it got. All the districts were about equal in their wealth but the closer you got to the Capitol, the fancier things seemed. Finnick's suit was properly tailored to flatter his muscular frame and his tie appeared to be the exact shade of green his eyes were. To say this bronze tinted man was breath-taking would be the understatement of the decade. Flinching as his head snapped to look at me, a perfectly shaped eyebrow raising with amusement as his full lips tugged into a smirk.

The tracker jackers had finally arrived.

Abruptly raising my hand to cover my stuffed mouth, I couldn't manage to chew fast enough to free my mouth as to speak. Stealing a look to the rest of the room, I found all eyes were on me. Perhaps it was Finnick they were staring at. Yes, that seemed much more plausible. Clearing my throat once I'd finished swallowing, I had found my voice, only it seemed far too high and cheery to belong to me.

"So... Finnick. What are you and your mother doing in our lovely district?"

"Finn, please..." His voice smooth like honey and his smirk remained. It should make me feel uneasy since it was one of those dirty ones dad gives mom before they run to their room and lock the door. His didn't make me feel nauseous, though. "I've come to take a look at your lovely district and my mother missed your parents so she joined me."

It felt like his words were mocking me but his eyes seemed honest. I fought the urge to stare as my mother jumped in to explain how Finn had just graduated college and was looking to take on an open position with our district. Mayor Firebridge was retiring this year, but surely Finnick was too young to...

"I don't have much experience, but I think I could do well here. Politics has always been a passion of mine."

The odds did not seem to be in this girl's favor. Looking at Deen as he stood, I automatically joined him, finding old habits die hard.

"I should be getting home.." His voice was his normal strong tone but it was like someone had sucked all the joy out of it. Nodding as I moved to grab my coat, he knew better than to protest.

"Oh Prue, we have guests, don't go.." My mother's voice sounded almost as foreign as her formality. Giving her an obscure expression, I smiled forced at Annie as she stood and motioned for Finnick to do the same.

"No, no, it's fine. We need to be going anyway. We need to settle into our room at the inn and have dinner. I'll see you lovebirds later." Quickly kissing my parents cheeks, I shook her and Finnick's hands before rushing out behind Deen.

"Can you believe that guy?!" Deen shouted once we were out of ear shot. I knew he wasn't a big fan of government (family tradition and all) but his uncle practically lived in the Capitol. "Coming in like he owns the place with his fancy clothes and cocky grin. I can't believe that jackass is going to be running this place. Probably into the ground!"

Grinning as we walked, I couldn't help but find his anger amusing. Finding myself laughing at the end of his rant, Deen stopped walking to abruptly grab me, trapping my arms by my side as he pulled my body against his - my nose inches away from his throat. I could feel his breathing falter before hearing it. Looking up, my friend's normally bright eyes looked hazy with dark intentions. Half expecting him to kiss me, half expecting a smack somewhere, he seemed as surprised as me while his arms jerked, shoving me into a pile of snow behind me.

"EVERDEEN CARTWRIGHT HAWTHORNE! IM GOING TO KILL YOU!"


	2. Chapter 2 - seeing red

Seeing Red

Days passed since the first and only encounter with Finn Odair, yet the presence of him seemed to be everywhere I turned. I never found studies to be my strong suit, but it was as if nothing that was being taught was audible. Snapping out of my haze long enough to move from class to class, each day ended with the same lost but amused expression waiting to be shaken away by Cinn or Deen. Smiling at a small group of girls passing, I found myself long enough to wave, causing them even more confusion than my normal banter with Deen. Turning to watch the boys rolling down the hill, playfully shaking and choking each other while laughing heartily, it seemed like everything in the moment was just about perfect.

"Would you guys stop it? People are going to think you've lost the little sense you've got left." Throwing a hastily formed snowball at Cinnick's head, I jumped back to avoid getting knocked over by their tangled bodies. Looking down at my bright eyed, beaming brother and friend, the two stopped taking on each other and silently formed an alliance against me.

Running back towards Victory Village as the snowballs flew past ears and crashed into body parts, the three fumbled over each other, laughing and gasping for air once they finally arrived. Laying in the thin layer of snow covering the Mellark's front yard, Cinnick, Deen and Prue all stared at the bright sky, pink faced and out of breath from their exertions. Despite the cold ground and chilly breeze, the three continued to lay for quite some time, passing back playful jabs at one another and idle gossip. Turning to stare at the two boys, Prue couldn't help but grin. Deen and Prue's relationship was always confusing to outsiders, but his and her brother's was nothing short of brotherly love. The two were the perfect mix of best friends and brawling brothers, which made sense since Delly only seemed capable of producing one boy out of her litter. Deen probably needed Cinnick more than he realized with the five younger sisters he constantly had following him like lost puppies.

"Oh, did mom tell you Mrs. Odair and Finn were coming over for dinner tomorrow?" Cinnick randomly blurted out as if it were just a factoid he'd learned in class today. Jerking to a sitting position, Prue stared at her brother with large eyes to gauge his expression. He was serious! Shoving herself off the ground, the rosy cheeked girl dashed inside without another word.

"Your sister has gotten really weird lately…" Deen followed suit, getting to his feet before helping Cinnick stand up as well. Brushing the snow off their clothes, the boys stood around for a few moments longer, not wanting their words to fall on easily angered ears.

"Right? I don't think I've ever seen her this… affected. Honestly, I thought she was incapable of finding anyone attractive until now." Cinnick's words conveyed the surprise that Deen's face couldn't mask. Blowing on his hands as he hid his grin from the older boy, the blonde couldn't help but find the amount of jealousy brewing behind his friend's eyes absolutely hilarious. Despite the assumptions of the towns people, family and friends, Deen had only ever confided in Cinnick that while Prue was his best friend and closest confidant, she was also the only girl he ever cared for – in _that_ way.

"You mean… you think… she actually likes him?" The words practically coated in disgust, Deen rolled his eyes and attempted to pull back on his machismo façade. She hardly knew this guy, how could she possibly like him? Finding him attractive was one thing, but actually having feelings for him was impossible. She didn't know him! Then there was the obvious point of their vast age gap. Shaking his head, his anger and frustration quickly transformed into playful aggression, Deen quickly shoved Cinnick back into the snow before turning and heading back to his house, shouting his farewell as he departed.

The next morning was like most Saturdays, getting up at before the crack of dawn to pull on her warm winter wear, packing a small breakfast and running out of the house bow in hand. She didn't like to think of how similar she was to her mother, because that would entail knowing every detail of her mother's life. Katniss Everdeen-Mellark was not one to sit around and chit-chat about her past, in fact whenever Prue had questions about it, her mother seemed furious. The only chance she had of getting answers was by talking to Delly Cartwright-Hawthorne, writing letters or calling her grandmother, or visiting with her aunt Johanna who lived two doors down. After her mother and father married, Johanna had decided District 12 was as good of a place as any to finally settle down, though a husband and children never seemed to be an interest. Peeta gifted his victor's house to the woman that helped save his wife's life, and the woman's presence seemed to be just what Katniss needed to start coming back to life after Primrose's death.

Wrapped tightly around a thick branch, Prue quietly sat and waited, staring off into the vast forest as she watched the sun rise. Hunting was her saving grace. Her temper seemed to be volatile at times, and sitting in the serene silence of the woods, quietly studying and taking down animals was the only sure fire way to calm her. Today, however, her thoughts were not going anywhere. The sweet morning songs of the Mockingjays alerting the world of the sun's arrival didn't clear her mind like it had so many times before. Growing up accepting that you wouldn't be like the rest of the world was one thing, but to have it all shattered in an instant? It was beyond confusing. Flinching immediately at the swish of an arrow rather than the soaring of the hawk 20 yards away, Prue grinned as her eyes fell to the forest floor to see Deen standing below her with his handsome grin gloating at his first kill of the day.

"Show off." Sliding down the tree, I couldn't help but find a grin of my own tugging at my frozen face. Hunting cleared my head almost always, but being around my friend never failed to do the trick.

"Slacker." Nudging me with his shoulder before running over to collect his arrow and bird, Deen seemed as carefree as I had hoped to feel. Following behind, I shoved him towards the small grassy knoll a few yards uphill. Early morning breakfast followed by a day of hunting was our weekend tradition since we were young enough to shoot, and it was by far the thing I looked forward to most. Except today.

"I can't stay long today. Jo wants me to come over, she's got stuff she needs help with around the house." Staring at the small breakfast I packed for Deen and myself, I tried my best to mask my face in hopes he wouldn't see my horrible excuse for lying. Knowing he wouldn't take too kindly to my bailing, I came prepared with bribes – his favorite biscuits with the freshest cheese I could muster. Handing them over with a bright, warm smile, I was clearly already forgiven.

Hours passed with little talking and quite a few birds killed, the two seeming to have an entire wordless conversation as they silently stalked prey and bagged their kill. Around 10, Prue finally took her leave, ruffling Deen's hair playfully as she always did before going on her way. She knew she wouldn't be home until dinner, and it was unknown how long that would last but she was sure it would be at least until tomorrow when she saw her friend again. Typically, every Saturday night Deen would come over, the two would spend the evening talking and hanging out in her room, crash at midnight and wake up at 4 to go back into the woods. The thought tugged at her heart. It was a break in their tradition and despite it only being one day, she hadn't thought it would affect her so much. 10 years of doing the same thing day in and day out makes a person dependent on their schedule, she supposed.

Knocking on her "aunt" Johanna's door, Prue stood silently as she examined it. It was her father's once. The thought that there was a huge chunk of her parents past that she knew nothing about made her stomach turn. She couldn't blame them for not wanting to divulge their dark past, but what was so dark about the love they had? Grinning at the beautiful older woman that answered the door, Prue pushed passed, having left her game bag on the front porch; she discarded her boots and jacket in the foyer before taking a seat on the couch in front of the hot mug waiting for her.

"Morning to you too, brat." Following Prue back into the living room, Johanna took a seat in the recliner next to the young girl already eagerly sipping away at her cocoa. Chuckling at her best friend's daughter, the woman shook her head at how similar she seemed to Katniss when they first met.

"We don't have much time, Jo. I need all the information you have." For a moment, Prue forgot how important her reason for coming over was as she lost herself in the hot chocolate her aunt had made for her. Even with a hearty breakfast in her stomach, the warm drink seemed to be just what she needed to feel completely full. Setting the mug down once she emptied it, her elbows moved to rest on her knees as her palms pressed together, her expression far too serious for a girl of her age. "Tell me everything you know about Finnick Odair.

For the next few hours Johanna divulged almost everything she knew of her former friend and tribute. She explained the parts the history books had already told Prue, Finnick's origin of District 4, his participation in the 65th and 75th Hunger Games, the fact that he was a key part of the rebellion, and the fact that he married another tribute, Annie Cresta, and had one son before his untimely death. The information she gave the young girl about who he was as a person, and the stories behind the friendship he had with her parents, the stories she couldn't find in books, was what Prue had come for. Johanna explained how cunning and intelligent Finnick was; how no matter what he risked his life for Katniss and Peeta because he knew they were the only way the world could be rid of President Snow's dictatorship; how unbelievably gorgeous he was but how he clearly knew it and used it to his advantage. She shared a few stories of Finnick – the night he first met Katniss and how if it weren't for Peeta and Annie, he might have tried to pick her up. The night Finnick helped Katniss escape the arena but couldn't save Johanna or Peeta. The story Katniss had told her of Finnick and Prue's mother having a heart-to-heart in the lowest level of District 13 when they both tried to accept the fact they may never see the loves of their lives again, a fact that nearly drove them both insane. The story of Finnick and Annie's wedding, how they were so in love it made Johanna forget momentarily that she hated the idea of being with one person forever, but maybe sharing your life with someone wasn't so bad. Then of course, the death that smacked Jo back into the reality that love was pointless because it never lasted. Omitting the parts where Finnick was a prostitute, divulged important Capitol residents darkest secrets, and the atrocious details of how he killed people in and out of the area to save some of Prue's innocence, of course.

"So, why the sudden need for a history lesson, Katniss Jr?" Johanna was sitting in the kitchen now, watching Prue put together a lunch for them while they continued talking. Prue was always an inquisitive one, but the sudden need to know everything about Finnick seemed strange. "It wouldn't have anything to do with the sudden arrival of his obscenely gorgeous son, would it?"

"What?! No! Of course not! I just… I was curious. About life before. Mom never talks about it…" Giving her aunt a wide eyed expression, she blushes as she watches Johanna pop a grape in her mouth. The older woman wasn't buying it for a second. Dropping her head as she turned her attention back to the vegetables she chopped, her cheeks blazed as her aunt read her like a book. "Okay, yeah, but.. you have to understand. It's not just his looks."

"Mhmm.. sure. I knew his father, honey. If he's got even a fraction of his dad's good looks, all the ladies in this district are screwed." Bursting into a fit of laughter as the words take on a life of their own in her head, Johanna stops to stare at Prue who couldn't appreciate her crude humor even if she wanted to. Clearing her throat, she urged the smaller girl to go on as her hand returned to her glass of wine.

"He's looking into taking over the mayor's position you know…" Pushing the vegetables into a salad bowl, Prue crosses to the stove to start heating the soup waiting in the pot. Stirring it idly as she waits for her brain and mouth to connect, she glances back over to her aunt who's donning her famous "I am not going to take your shit" expression.

"He's smart, obviously. He's just graduated college. I guess he gets that from his dad, huh? He's well dressed, absolutely gorgeous, but you can tell he's not absolutely cocky. He's attractive, he knows it, but he doesn't use it as a means of getting what he wants.. unlike his father. He's got his mother's kindness, I'd guess, but he seems determined almost to the point of ruthlessness, but I don't think he'd ever hurt anyone, emotionally or otherwise, intentionally. I don't know… he's the first person I've ever met that's made me feel…"

"Alive below the belt?" Johanna chimes in, causing Prue to turn fifty shades of red as her mouth fell wide open. Shrugging at the honesty of her words, she nodded to the young girl to continue.

"Well.. yes, but it's not just that. I can't explain it. I just can't help feeling like he's someone I really want to get to know and spend time with." Prue finished speaking as the soup finished boiling. Turning it to a simmer, she joined her aunt at the table.

"You've never felt like that about Deen?" Raising her eyebrows at Prue, Jo grinned as the pale girl's cheeks flushed once more.

"It's different. There's not that need to get to know him or spend time with him, because I've always had it. I don't know. Maybe it'd be different if I didn't know him my whole life." Shrugging as she gave her aunt a pleading look, though even Prue had no idea what she was hoping to get from the woman.

Following her aunt's instructions to eat up, Prue did as she was told before allowing Johanna to drag her upstairs to one of the bedrooms. Johanna was what all the prissy girls at school would aspire to be if they had personalities to go with their fashion sense. One entire bedroom was simply clothes and accessories, while the other was for sleeping. Doing as instructed and showering quickly, Prue joined her aunt in the bedroom and took the undergarments she offered only after being assured they'd never been worn. She sat silently on the edge of the plush bed as Johanna explained as much etiquette possible in a short time span while plucking Prue's eyebrows. Brushing out her hair before dragging her into the clothing room, she explained how stunning brain power, or sizzling intellect rarely won a guy over, it merely kept them once they realized there were brains behind the pretty face. Throwing dress after dress on Katniss' daughter, she finally found peace with a sophisticated but sexy black dress with lace sleeves. The dress hit Prue at mid-thigh, clung to her small waist perfectly and of course was absolutely unlike anything she owned.

"Are you sure about this? He's going to think I'm some kind of prostitute." Staring at herself in the mirror, Prue was clearly her mother's daughter when it came to accepting compliments. Johanna rolled her eyes as she shoved the girl into the chair in front of her vanity.

"Shut up, sparky. You look amazing. It's your mother we have to worry about. I mean shit, you're 17 but she still thinks you're some snot nosed toddler that she has to protect at all costs. Don't let her make you change, got it?" Turning her attention to Prue's hair, Johanna continued to shoot out pointers on dinner manners, conversation starters, how to give 'the look', what not to do, how to sit properly, and playful banter that would come off as flirtatious if she could get Finn alone.

"Actually, I have an idea! After dinner, why don't you tell him I insisted on you bringing him over to meet me, but I won't answer the door. Then you can take a moonlit stroll with him." Finishing the curls and pinning them perfectly, Johanna took a step back to admire her work and shook her head. "God I'm good."

With some last minute make up applications and accessory choices, she all but shoved Prue out the door knowing she'd have to face her mother before the guests arrived. Kissing both of the young girl's cheeks as she held onto her hunting boots for her, Prue grabbed her bag off the porch before heading back home. Once inside, she set the game bag in the sink, knowing her mother took great joy in skinning and preparing them for eating or freezing. Standing against the sink, Prue grinned as she watched her mother at the stove, awkwardly cooking while she eagerly awaited the return of her husband no doubt. Smirking, the young girl found herself incredibly grateful that she had a few positive traits of her father's – cooking being one of them. Unbuttoning her jacket, Prue tossed it onto the rack by the back door, the noise finally alerting Katniss that her daughter had arrived home. Turning around, she froze as she saw the red-lipped, perfectly dressed young woman before her.

"What.. I.. My God.. JOHANNA." Yelling as finally realized who made her little girl look like a stunning woman, Katniss fought the tears that threatened her eyes as Peeta ran into the kitchen. Immediately crossing the room to hug his wife, he muttered a hello to the woman at the sink. Stopping his cooing to turn back to who he thought was his wife's best friend, his eyes widened as his mouth fell ajar.

"Prue…" The disbelief from her parents had given her more encouragement than anything her aunt could have said. Laughing quietly, she glanced at the doorway as Cinnick entered. Rolling her eyes at his whistling, she shoved his shoulder once he got in arms length.

"You guys… seriously. It's just a dress. Geez." Crossing her arms over her chest, she waited for her parents ability to talk to return. Cinnick was just as stunning, dressed in dark grey dress pants with a matching tie and a casual dress shirt but no one was saying anything about him looking like a young man. Absolutely unfair. Turning to look at the doorway again as she heard the knock at the front door, her eyes shot back to her parents still in awe by the stove. "Please. Let me get it while you guys continue to be Avoxes."


	3. Chapter 3 - double trouble

The excuse to go see Aunt Johanna worked like a charm. Finn seemed all too eager to take a walk with me and while we brushed arms, talking about everything from politics to promises for the future, I found myself even more smitten with the beautiful would-be mayor. He confided that his father's past encouraged him to take up politics, which seemed confusing since the first Finnick was a big part of the rebellion. He explained that while his father didn't like the way things were handled by President Snow, the ground rules for the districts he was trying to run was important. People needed to be part of a close knit society that made them feel connected, yet part of something bigger. He explained that each District was a little puzzle piece, small but mighty, one that without its contribution would make the big picture incomplete.

Yes, this man was going to be a great politician. He had quite a way with words, and even more so without them. The kiss he parted with was just on top of my ice cold hand, but its warmth was still sending spasms throughout my body. Pressed against the inside of my bedroom door, I couldn't remove the grin from my still painted lips. I had been so leery to let aunt Johanna play dress up, making me feel like her life-size doll, but in the end it turned out perfectly. I came across mature enough for him to take interest in, and it seemed as though my parents might have even taken a look at me in a different light. All in all, it was a perfect night.

"My God, you sure clean up well."

The voice shook me back to life, forcing my eyes open to look at its owner. Glaring at the disheveled boy sitting on my bed, I couldn't help but smile at his presence. It was late, but not as late as I'd thought the dinner might run to. There was still time to spend with Deen after all.

"Shut up." Grabbing the scarf resting on top of the dresser next to the door, she hurled the soft article of clothing at his face causing them both to laugh as she crossed the room to her bed. Turning to present her back to him, she glanced over her shoulder to catch his attention as if she didn't already have it. "Unzip me, please. I can't reach."

She hadn't had much use for things that zipped in the back, all her clothes pulled over her head or snapped in the front. Unfortunately the dress was too snug to attempt to pull over her head without threatening to tear it, and she was sure Johanna would be fairly upset if something happened to her lovely garment. Holding the front of the dress to her so it wouldn't fall off, her body spasms resurfaced as Deen's finger ran slowly down her bare back. Jerking away, Prue turned quickly to stare at him in disbelief. Was he trying to get a rise out of her or was it merely an accident? Perhaps he had tried to tickle her, hoping to continue their laughter, but whatever it was, it was unexpected.

"Turn around. I need to change." Nodding across the room, she frowned at her friend's unmoving position. Shoving him, she grinned as he simply lay down and continued watching her.

"Oh don't be a baby. How many times have I seen you in just your undergarments? We go swimming practically every day in the summer." Omitting the part of how he has to think of dead squirrels and his mother nagging him to keep from getting too excited, his smile falls as her dress does. He was used to Prue undergarments, not Johanna gifted ones. The lacey fabric that seemed to be just enough to cover the essentials took his breath away at once. Licking over his lips as he stared at her body, Deen didn't even noticed the rapid blush that took over her cheeks.

"I know, I look like a boy in drag, shut it." Taking off a shoe to throw at him, she forced herself to grin. He was right, it was no different than every summer since they were kids. Hell, she had gone topless for a few summers in the beginning, not knowing her flat chest to be any different than his. Taking off the other shoe and the thigh high tights her aunt had also let her borrow, she frowned as she noticed Deen still unmoved. "Hey, what's your problem?"

Grabbing a large t-shirt to pull over her head, she crossed the small space between them and nudged his knees apart to give her space to stand. Reaching down to take his hands, Prue pulled her friend to a sitting position, bringing his face mere inches from her chest. Raising her hands to comb through his shaggy hair, she grinned at the groan it evoked. She loved making Deen a mindless drone, and her the queen with one combing movement over his head. Usually she used it to make him fetch her food or something to drink, on occasion she'd play with his hair long enough to get him to do her homework, but right now, it was her sure fire way of getting answers.

"Mmm.. you." Groaning his reply without meaning to, Deen let his hands move forward, sliding over Prue's bare thighs and around to the back of them. Lifting and jerking her forward in one quick motion, to bring the girls legs to straddle his lap, he let her rest her shins against the mattress before letting go and shooting up to grasp her wrists, bringing them behind her back. He was no idiot when it came to Prue's tactics, despite how easily susceptible he was to her actions. "Don't think I'm oblivious to what you're doing."

Feeling her breathing hitch as she fell on top of her friend, Prue could see her friend's eyes hazing over once more like they had the first night she met Finn. What was it about that look, and her being around another man that turned Deen into some kind of animal? They always wrestled and joked, but there was nothing funny about how he was acting, and while it made her incredibly nervous, there was something very exciting about it.

"What ever do you mean, Mr. Hawthorne?" Raising her newly manicured eyebrow at her friend, she gasped once more as he swiftly flipped her over, sliding her back against the mattress as he pinned her arms over her head with his own. Hearing her own panting before realizing it was happening, Prue's bright eyes searched Deen's face. So it wasn't just Finn who was capable of making her feel alive below the belt. Nervous but excited, Prue lay frozen against the bed, pinned by her best friend, and confused beyond belief as to what was going on. This was her best friend since childhood, how could she possibly want to kiss him right now? Was it the excitement from being with Finn that manifested to desiring the one man she couldn't live without? If she kissed him, there was no doubt it would change things forever between them.

Parting her mouth to protest, Deen took his opportunity and broke the space between them, slowly and firmly pressing his mouth over hers. Keeping one of his hands securely around Prue's wrists, the other eagerly snaked around her waist to pull their bodies together. It was more intense than he'd ever allowed himself to dream, and while he shared her fears of things changing forever, he was hopeful that maybe it wouldn't be a negative change. Of course he was diluting himself in thinking Katniss Everdeen-Mellark's daughter would ever want a boyfriend, but stranger things have happened.

If it were possible, Prue's heart seemed to be racing just as fast as her brain. Talk about mixed signals, her brain was shouting to stop immediately – this was her best friend, not her boyfriend. She was going down a dark path according to her speedy thought process. Her heart was concurring that it was a dark path, but a very exciting one. Who else should you trust with such an important experience than your best friend? The one man that knows you better than you know yourself. Then of course her raging libido that could smack her given the chance for even flirting with the idea of pushing such an attractive man off of her. Still, her brain was ringing loud and clear – what about Finn?

"Finn kissed me." Gasping as her head turned away from Deen's eager mouth, she found herself finally able to breathe again, despite how desperately she wanted the warmth of his lips back. Swallowing hard before taking the strength it took to look back at her friend, she saw Deen's eyes were still shaded with a darkness she couldn't read. He was mad, no doubt, but there was more. "Well, my hand. He kissed my hand. I just thought I should tell you."

"Oh?" His voice was firm, but coated with anger. Oh, he was pissed. Suppressing a shiver as his hands jerked, tugging up on the t-shirt put on only moments ago, Prue's confused but curious eyes searched Deen's face for more. "Where else did he kiss you?"

"Here." Lifting her hands to kiss the tops of both of them, she gave an apologetic nod. Turning them over, his mouth alternated wrists, slowly and graciously kissing the veins on each. Prue had no idea why, but it immediately sparked the most amazing sensation all throughout her body. Shaking her head in reply, like her parents earlier in the day she was unable to find her voice. Allowing him to kiss over her arms and shoulders, her legs twitched under his, her hips moving in attempts to squirm underneath her friend as his mouth found her neck.

"Here?" Dragging his mouth and tongue over her neck, his teeth grazing over her jugular, Prue let her teeth dig into her bottom lip to keep from making a noise. It seemed the more Deen moved, the quicker her breathing got. At this rate, she'd be hyperventilating in no time. Gasping quietly as her back involuntarily arched against the bed, Prue found the strength to jerk her wrists free from the grasp he had taken after disposing of her shirt. Grasping desperately at the head full of dark brown hair, Prue's fingers tugged carefully at it, hoping by holding onto it, she'd in turn hold onto some shred of sanity as his mouth continued to move down her body.

"Hm, did he kiss you here, Prue?" Deen's mouth continued to move, down between the girl's breasts, over her stomach before he found himself on the floor, kneeling against the side of the bed. There was no rhyme or reason as to what he was doing, or why she was allowing it to go so far, but to stop and question it would mean to stop kissing her. After years of dreaming about having his way with her, there was no way he was going to stop now. Forced to stop by no fault of his own, Deen laughed quietly as Prue's legs snapped shut, almost taking his head with them. Watching her jerk to a sitting position with her wide, fearful eyes stared down at him, he knew without her speaking that she was terrified to do anything more than kiss him. He might not be her go-to when it came to girl talk (as if Katniss' daughter did that sort of thing), but he'd been around enough guys to know that every one of them had never gotten near Prue to kiss let alone deflower.

"Prue?" Turning in unison, the two stared at the bedroom door before moving quickly. Deen hurried to slide under the bed as Prue jumped to get her robe and cross the room to rest against her dresser next to the door. Her mom checked on her before bed every night, how could she possibly be shocked by this occurrence?

"Yeah, mom?" Trying to found as normal as possible, Prue rested against the edge of the piece of furniture, her nails digging into the dark wood as she tried to steady herself. Her body and brain were still trying to compute what was going on mere seconds ago, and now there was her mother to death with.

"I wanted to talk to you about tonight.. can I come in?" Doing the best to mask her gasp with a forced cough, Prue stared at the foot of the bed where one of Deen's feet was poking out. A small grin played on her lips at the normalcy of such a thing. Clearing her throat before letting out a natural laugh, Prue grabbed one of her school books off her dresser and threw it at the foot by her bed causing a loud thud, a loud yelp and two sets of laughter.

"Deen's here. It's Saturday, remember?" Hearing a quiet sigh from the other side of the door, she felt a smile tug at the corner of her lips and heart. Her mom was sweet when she wanted to be all mother-daughter and have heart-to-hearts with Prue. Unfortunately at that moment there was nothing sentimental on the young girl's mind. "We'll paint nails and have girl talk tomorrow, I promise."

Smiling as she heard her mom laugh and curse at her, she listened to her knock on Cinnick's door before retreating downstairs. Deen, sensing the coast was finally clear, came out from his hiding place under the girl's bed, albeit a terrible spot for someone so tall to try and conceal themselves. Maybe things could go back to normal after kissing her best friend? She still felt like her playful self, capable of making him laugh without it feeling forced. Resting against the edge of the dresser, her smile faded as Deen stood up. His eyes were still dark again, and while Prue had the speed and space to make her escape, she found herself glued to the spot. She was beyond nervous, but almost equally as excited. Watching her friend with the intensity she would her prey in the forest, Prue pushed herself back to sit on the edge as Deen closed the gap. Untying her robe, the boy seemed dead set on keeping her as bare as possible before dropping to his knees in front of her again.

"Now, where was I?"


	4. Chapter 4 - in bloom

In the last weeks of winter, things seemed to change pretty steadily. School was coming back from the holiday break full swing, all of the seniors eager to graduate. Snow was melting leaving the grass greener than ever and flowers begging to blossom. Hunting was picking up with animals coming out of hiding. Katniss and Peeta refuse to give up on inquiring of future plans for after graduation, which only makes things more confusing. In the last few weeks it's been a nonstop make out session every afternoon with the former best friend, current quasi lover. It's been never ending turmoil, wondering if a break needed to be taken from Deen's mouth to talk to Finn about his proposal. It's been constant worrying, partially wanting Finn to be the new mayor meaning a job after graduating, partially wanting him to stay far away as not to be tempted to lure him out on walks for more kisses. Weeks of Deen looking with pleading eyes, the unspoken question always on the tip of his tongue, "are you mine"? With no answers for anything, time is spent diving into books at school, taking greater concentration than necessary while hunting, more time than needed to do small tasks in hopes answers would come of ignored long enough. In a few more weeks the time for mulling over decisions will be gone. The position of mayor will be decided, sealing fate no matter what the heart, mind, and libido want. In no time at all feelings will be forced to be addressed, other feelings will be hurt, and more hidden away in hopes of not being addressed.

For a few more weeks, she was free from making decisions harder than, "what do you want for dinner"? Taking solace in that, Prue made her way out of the school house and across the yard to the tree she always waited by for her brother and best friend. Plucking a handful of leaves off the tree and crumpling them in the wind to see which direction is was blowing, she half heartedly wondered if hunting would be productive this afternoon. The image of her brother running across the grass didn't phase her as much as what she didn't see. Feeling her eyebrows knit together in confusion, Prue let Cinnick wrap his arm around her waist, spinning her away from the tree and in a series of circles before setting her back down, dizzy but no worse for wear.

"Where's Deen?" Letting her brother lead her, Prue followed obediently, something she rarely did, but in this case it meant not having to make a decision, thus she was happy for quickly towards the train station, Prue wracked her brain for a reason why they needed to go there. Their grandmother wasn't visiting, and unless they were going on a surprise trip there was no reason she could think of to be heading that way.

"He's waiting at the station already! Hurry up, I know you gotta be excited to see Gale and Pozy. I think your boyfriend, Finnick Odair is coming too. Mom said something about him arriving early to get settled in before he officially takes the job." Feeling her stomach bottom out at her brother's words, Prue nearly falling over on her bottom, Cinnick continued on, not letting go of his sister's waist until she stumbled forward. Looking confused momentarily, the realization that this was all news to her quickly set in. "Oh Pea..."

"Why would mom tell you and not me? How long did you know?! Deen is going to be there when he comes out and..." Pushing aside her urge to throw up, Prue found herself sprinting as fast as she could ever remember her legs taking her. Falling onto the platform moments later, the young girl stared up at the open doors of the train, her best friend embracing his uncle as a very confused look consumed his face.

Following Gale down the stairs was the increasily stylish Pozy Hawthorne, Deen's aunt and the youngest of Hazelle's children. In hand must be her newest boyfriend, though getting to know him by name would be pointless since the woman seemed to go through men faster than handbags. Standing up straight to get a good look at them all, she realized the man in tow with Pozy was none other than Finnick Odair. The urge to throw up quickly resurfaced. Allowing herself to be hugged by Gale and Pozy, she took the polite smile offered by Finn with a simple nod and watched the lot of them walk past, an eager Pozy brushing past Gale to lead the way. Starring ahead of her, Prue felt distraught when, with fate making her decision for her, gratitude should have prevailed. Looking over as Deen took her hand, she offered a passive smile while letting herself be led once more, walking on auto pilot back towards town.

The walk to Deen's house seemed to last forever. The time spent clearing her head was now pointless. Everything was a thousand times more confusing now, and despite all her questions now having answers given without her having to make up her mind Prue felt more anxious than ever before. If Pozy was with Finn it wouldn't be for long, but how weird would it be to pursue a man who was with your best friend's aunt? Shivering at the thought, her attention snapped back to her friend as he let go of her hand to take off his jacket. Wrapping it around her shoulders, she smiled at the boy and leaned into his body as his long arm wrapped around her shoulders. There were worst things in the world than to have the cosmos put you in a relationship with a boy like Deen Hawthorne. Smiling up at her friend, she was quickly rewarded with a kiss on the forehead. Maybe it wouldn't be too weird, dating the boy she grew up with, sharing the closeness she did with Cinnick. She could graduate with the boy, they could spend a year deciding what they wanted to do - her working for Finn, him tending to his mother's laundry business. It would all work out fine. Any delusion she had that Finn was a possible romantic interest was quickly killed when the realization that girls like Pozy held his interest, not Prue. His lovely conversation and kiss on her hand was clearly an act of kindness, not a thinly veiled attempt at seducing her.

"I'm going to run home and change. I'll be back before dinner, I promise." Quickly planting a descrete kiss on Deen's cheek, Prue started to run off to Victor's Village. Realizing halfway there it was pointless to 'go home' to change, she quickly detoured to her aunt's back door. Tapping rapidly against the glass, she offered a nervous smile before slipping in without a word. Dropping her school bag and Deen's jacket while her shoes found their way to the corner of the kitchen, the young girl threw her arms around Johanna's neck, pulling her into a quick hug. "I need to borrow a dress."

Such words were never uttered from Katniss, so it came as a shock that her clone of a daughter spoke them. Listening as she worked, she took in the weeks full of turmoil Prue was holding back, along with the day's events while picking out clothes and accessories for her friend's daughter. Quickling taking out the braids in the girl's hair, Johanna let the wavy locks fall over her shoulders once she threw the white dress over her head and zipped it up, the two looked in the mirror with amusement and surprise written over their faces.

"I'm gonna need to borrow more if Finn takes me on as his assistant when he takes office in a few weeks." Smoothing out the full shirt decorated with bulbs of fabric to make it look as if real daisies were popping off the dress. Tying the ribbon on her waist into a bow, Prue smiled at her aunt while waiting to be told what shoes to wear. "I feel like I'm a little kid playing dress up.."

Sighing as she spun around with Jo's instruction, still in the process of covering her lips with the trademark red she found so fun and flirty the last time the woman dressed her up, Prue grinned down at the older woman putting a nude colored heel on her foot.

"And now I feel like Cinderella. Thank you so much..."

Quickly kissing her aunt's cheeks once her sheer quarter length sleeves were adjusted, she made her way out of the house and back towards Deen's house. Walking short distances in heels was one thing, but across the town was down right torture. Pausing at the doorway to gather herself before entering after a quick knock, she found herself more surprised than those in the living room. In the time it took her to change and come back Peeta and Katniss had arrived. The best reaction to her hasty transformation was Pozy, by far. The expression taking over her face was one of confusion, awe, and jealousy. It was priceless. Forcing her most pleasant expression as her feet threatened to fall off, Prue crossed the room to take a seat on the arm rest of the chair Cinnick currently occupied.

"Little Pea, I never thought I'd see you dressed like a girl, my word. You clean up so well." Pozy's brightly toned insult fell over a hostile room, between my mother's glare and Deen shooting daggers at his aunt metaphorically speaking, it was no surprise the subject quickly changed to Pozy's current position in the Capitol with fashion and Gale's progress with the National Gaurd. Smiling to herself, eyes darting between her parents and Deen, she wondered how they would handle the thought of the two dating. There was no confirmation of an actual relationship, but she wanted to try it on for size. Boyfriend. It felt highly juvenile but what other word could be used? Lover sounded down right comical. Love interest. That sounded the best, seeing as she was interested in him and love was already blossoming there. Still, labels seemed unnecessary but putting it off forever would only frustrate the boy.

Once the conversation turned into a light-hearted, comfortable one over dinner, Prue found herself excusing herself almost immediately after Finn while Delly set dessert in front of everyone. There was no better mood than this to approach the man without feeling awkward about it all. Grabbing the older man's arm before he could enter the bathroom, her hand explored his bicep momentarily before letting go. It was still impossible to comprehend how such a perfectly made man was allowed to exists. Simply to taunt everyone else? Sighing quietly as her hands quickly locked themselves behind her back, Prue's head fell slightly to stare at Finn's perfectly tailored pants as she spoke.

"I just wanted to let you know... if you were serious about the job, you know, full time after I graduate.. I'd be really happy to work under. Uh.. with. I'd like to work with you." Licking her cherry colored lips before stealing another glance at the Greek-esc god, her heart surely skipping a beat as a delicious smirk tugged at his full lips.

"I'd like you on my team too, Miss Mellark. Why don't you stop by the inn tomorrow and we'll talk specifics, okay?" Flinching as his hand touched her cheek, Prue's eyes locked on Finn's face as his fingers tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.

Returning to the table completely flushed, she laughed it off, blaming her shoes for making her work too hard to get from point A to point B. Taking her mother's criticism with a grain of salt, Prue let herself get comfortable next to Deen. It was hard to explain how she could feel so safe and comfortable with the boy while knowing just how anxious and out of control he could make her feel. Doing her best to conceal a smirk as her mind recalled their last rendezvous behind her father's bakery, her body shivered slightly at the thought of her best friend's hands that afternoon.

"You okay?" Whispering against her hair, nudging her scalp with his nose, Deen pulled her closer. There was no way of getting around it - he was absolutely in love with this girl and she was still clearly confused about where she wanted to stand with him. Lifting his head as her's tilted back, he grinned at her and leaned as she motioned to whisper in his ear.

"Wednesday. After school. The bakery. Your hands... I.." Sighing quietly against his hear, Prue's smirk widened into an all encompassing grin as her nose nudged his ear. There were a few things she was still unsure of, but how amazing Deen made her feel was not one of them. "Best yet."

Upon returning home with her family after the somewhat awkward night, Prue found herself lingering outside her mother's bedroom door while Cinnick drug himself to bed and Peers took solace in the kitchen setting things up for baking in the morning. Toying with the hem of her dress, the girl couldn't help but feel like a small child again, waiting patiently in the market while her mother made a sale or waited to be handled. Sighing quietly, a small nervousness growing inside her full stomach, Prue stepped in once her mother was seated on the bed.

"Mom.. I know you don't like talking about your past and the things that make you think of Dark Days, but I.. well.. I'm going to be working for Finn- err, Mayor Odair, and I don't have anything to really wear. Aunt Jo has tons of stuff but I think I borrowed the most toned down things she has and I was wondering..."

Hearing her mother's laughter wasn't the reaction she was expecting but it had definitely trumped the ones she already ran over in her head. Looking up as Katniss stood and crossed the room to her large closet, Prue unintentionally gravitated behind her, curious to its contents. Stopping once the woman disappeared in its depth, the young girl waited eagerly, secretly hoping it might be a small stepping stone to getting to know more of the jaded past in which they lived.

"Your grandmother has a lot of dressy things she never wears anymore, maybe if her favorite granddaughter called and asked, she might send a few things." Returning with her arms full of muted but colorful dresses, pants and tops, Prue couldn't believe her mother ever wore any of them.

"Actually.. I was thinking of going to visit her this weekend? I need to clear my head and it'd be nice to see her." Avoiding her mother's curious expression, she knew if she didn't tell her something the woman wouldn't fork over the clothes. "I'm just really confused, you know? I've been best friends with Deen my whole life and now suddenly he want more, and I don't know if I'm ready for that commitment, I mean I'm only seventeen."

"Well Pea, you are young, and you have all the time in the world to decide if you want to settle down. See what other fish are in the sea and all that garbage. At the same time though, if you

love Deen I think you owe it to him to give it a shot. ...If you want to."

"It's complicated, though," where did this relationship guru come from and what did she do with my mother?!

"They all are sweet pea."

Sighing as she thought about all the circumstances surrounding her need to run off, Prue couldn't help but grin as her mother tucked her daughter's hair behind her ears. It was a simple gesture but comforting - knowing her mom was there.

"I like Finn... At least I think I do. Which is ridiculous because he's so old. And he's dating Pozy. And my boss.." Looking up, half expecting a furious expression, Prue frowned at her mother's amusement. "Don't laugh at me! Even you had a girl moment once or twice. Aunt Jo said you were downright moony over dad when you two finally started dating. Deen also said Gale chased you all over trying to get you to go out with him."

For maybe the third time in her entire life, Prue found her mother actually blushing in front of her. Taking her turn to laugh brightly, the young girl eagerly grabbed the clothes her mother had brought out.

"Jo also said Finnick the first flirted with you and if it weren't for Annie and dad you two might have been something!"

Taking her mother's shocked expression as her chance to run, Prue stopped only once the safety of her bedroom eagerly accepted her. Laying out all the clothes on the couch in her room, she studied them quietly while taking a seat on the edge of her bed.

They were just clothes, yes, but they were also a symbol for Prue. This was the end of an era for the seventeen year old. She was no longer a careless child who could ignore responsibility. She was going to work for a living and be stylish to boot. Sadly it was also the end of the era for having Deen as just a friend. It was a reality she wasn't quite comfortable with but ignoring their chemistry would be pointless. They also spoke volumes about her feelings for Finn, subconsciously. She had never cared to dress in anything out of the norm for her until the day he showed up in her living room. She felt the need to impress him - which terrified her. If she was going to see if there was anything between the two of them, she wanted it to be while she was herself, not some version that was all dolled up and too intimidated to be recognizable.

A weekend with her grandmother seemed more and more alluring every second.


	5. Chapter 5 - in private

Three hours were spent in the chilly spring morning waiting for animals to show themselves, but only a small rabbit and a couple squirrels were to show for the outing. For the first time in the longest, she hunted alone. It was a strange feeling, being alone in the silence versus being with her best friend despite them not talking much while passing hours together. The night before had been taxing emotionally, and while there were still many things to mull over, the conversation with her mother had actually helped a bit. Prue felt like she did owe it to herself and to Deen to see if what they had was more than just teenage lust. The feelings she had bubbling at the surface for Finn were not to be dismissed, however. Opting to make no decisions until after her weekend with her grandmother, Prue headed back to her house to get ready for her afternoon meeting with soon-to-be Mayor Odair.

An entire half hour passed while she sat staring at clothes. Who was this girl she was turning into? The girl not much different from those she always mocked. She could explain her reasoning a million times – the fact she wanted to appear professional, the fact that she needed to come across as a young adult rather than a child, the fact that she could be more than just an awkward tomboy. Those facts, however, did nothing for her inner turmoil making her stomach turn. She didn't want to allow a boy to turn her into something she wasn't. _They're just clothes._ Repeating the mantra over and over as she pulled on a pair of her mother's form fitting black, lace detailed dress pants and a high collar, slowing green top that reminded her all too much of Finnick's eyes, Prue set off to apply some quick eyeliner and lipstick before pulling on a snug, black blazer and silver flats. Having let her hair dry on its own after her shower, she debated curling it even more before running her hands through it to make it appear fuller. She was officially one of _those_ girls. The realization made her skin crawl.

"Afternoon, Paisley." Nodding at the receptionist and inn keeper upon entering the building, she smiled at the girl she'd known her whole life, finding a little bit of amusement in the surprise Prue's appearance evoked.

Tapping on the second biggest suite the inn offered, per Finn's instructions on the phone earlier that morning, the teen tugged nervously at the hem of her silky shirt. Why was she so nervous about an interview? Finn was dating Pozy. He was going to be inaugurated as the new mayor in a couple weeks. This was simply a technicality, she already had the job. There was nothing to be nervous about. Reassuring herself while she listened to the light tread of the footsteps behind the door, Prue smiled warmly at Finnick as he opened the door, dressed in a simple white button up dress shirt and a perfectly fitted pair of light grey dress pants. Even 'dressed down', the man looked stunning. Nodding her thanks as he stepped aside to let her in, the young girl waited to be led to where her new boss wanted to go.

"You look lovely, Miss Mellark. That green really suits you." There was amusement in his tone, but Prue hadn't dared look at his face while walking behind him and finally taking a seat on one of the two couches in the living area.

"Thank you, sir. I figured I should try and get used to wearing dressier clothes. I'm sure you'll require something classier than jeans and a sweatshirt, yes?" Trying on her sarcasm, Prue subconsciously felt the need to test her boundaries with the man. Urging her growing smirk to subside as her eyes finally found the courage to lift and take in her company, her heart again faltering at the sight of Finn.

The sight of the tight lipped, less-than-amused but dangerously gorgeous man was more than her heart could handle. It's skipping beats and racing was surely going to send her over the edge, but if she had plans to work alongside him, she'd eventually have to maintain eye contact long enough to take orders. Taking his expression as a 'no' to her former inquiry about being able to get 'lippy' with him, Prue did her very best to conjure all the politeness her parents had tried to engrain in her during her youth. Folding her hands on her lap as she listened to Finn start explaining the details of her job, she was more than pleased to hear her position would be more than just a glorified secretary. Nodding appropriately, Prue felt herself getting somewhat more comfortable once things seemed to be absolutely clear that their relationship was strictly professional.

"I'd like you to start part time if you're interested. A couple hours each day after school? Just to get you comfortable with the position I want you in. I want to make sure you're alright with everything."

Watching Finn rise as her stomach suddenly dropped once more, Prue knew she was reading too far into his words but there was no imagining that smirk taking over his lips. Studying the folder he grabbed off the kitchen table before returning to the couch, the girl's body tensed as he switched his seating, taking the cushion directly next to her instead. Keeping her head bowed as she opened the packet, her eyes quickly looked over the schedule paper clipped to the inside. Monday through Friday 3pm to 6pm, not bad. Reaching to flip through the papers in each sleeve, she picked up the key points of each paper. Duties. Expectations. Dress code. Confidentiality. She had to sign a contract? That seemed strange, but what did she know – it was her first job. Pay. The realization that she was going to be working didn't seem to affect her until that moment. She was going to get money for spending time with this beautiful man and do his bidding. How oblivious could the girl be?! This was going to be fantastic.

Turning to look up at her boss, an eager and happy grin on her pink lips, she pushed away the urge to get personal with him, though she was dying to know what a guy like him was doing with Deen's aunt. The specifics of why she had come to see him were done being discussed, so why was she still there trying to think of a reason to keep him talking.

"Am I officially hired yet, or can we pretend I'm just your mom's friend's daughter you walked with once and talked to a couple times?" Raising her eyebrows as her face expressed more hopefulness than she hoped to, Prue's cheeks quickly filled with color as Finn offered her a friendly smile.

"You are free from professionalism until Monday." Reaching up to tuck loose hair behind her ear, Finn studied her face as he did his best to fight the urge to lean in and kiss the side of her exposed neck. Laughing as she let out a relieved sigh and quickly unbuttoned her blazer, expressing how uncomfortable and hot it was becoming, his amusement immediately faded at the sight of her bare shoulders and almost entirely revealed back. No wonder she was wearing that dreaded cover up.

"I mean no offense, obviously because you're a smart man and I'm just some silly girl you barely know.. but what are you doing with Pozy Hawthorne? I've known her my whole life. The woman is a man eater and you are far too educated to get caught in her web." Looking confused, Prue couldn't find it in her to censor the honesty that poured out.

"Well, you certainly don't hold back, do you, Miss Mellark?" Cocking his eyebrow in amusement, he couldn't help but reach over to brush her hair further away from the girl's bare shoulder. Taking the opportunity to drop his large hand to the exposed part of her back in the most nonchalant way possible, Finn was utterly thrilled with how responsive she seemed to be to his touch. "There's not much going on with Pozy. We had a couple mutual friends when we were going to school together in the capitol. We hung out once or twice, then when we ran into each other on the train back here, she took it upon herself to make me her date for last night. I would never actually date a girl like that, Prue. I'm into the strong silent types. A girl who's educated, confident, but can mind her p's and q's.. that's definitely attractive."

If she hadn't known any better, Prue would have thought she was literally set on fire. From her burning cheeks to her scalding back, melting with every circular motion of Finn's fingers, it took every bit of strength the girl had to fight squirming in her seat. Nodding at the explanation she was given, she quickly realized how oblivious she must have seemed to actually think he would date her. That, of course, didn't mean he wasn't taking her to bed, but she would be gone soon enough and that would be forgotten. Did Prue actually have a chance?! She was definitely smart, confident, strong.. but silent? She wasn't the type to say things just to make small talk, but that didn't mean she was passive. Did he honestly think she was some submissive thing he could boss around?

"So you want a girl who you can tell you to jump and she'll ask how high?" Looking curiously over Finn's face, Prue shifted in her seat to face the man more so, effectively forcing his hand to drop from her back.

"Prue. You're getting it all wrong." Sighing quietly, Finn's hand shot from her back to his hair, tugging at his hair in frustration. "A girl who's respectful and someone submissive are completely different. Anyway, why the sudden interest in who I'm dating? From the looks of it last night you're pretty cozy with that Hawthorne boy."

Clearly her plans for 'laying low' with Deen were just that – plans. The execution was poor if someone as out of the loop as Finn could make that kind of observation. Did their parents know? Sighing quietly, Prue shook her head as she repositioned herself again, trying to get comfortable without stretching out on the couch like she owned the place.

"It's complicated, but yeah.. we're not dating. He wants to be with me, and I like him but.." Licking over her lips as she grins to herself, the words on the tip of her tongue threatening to expose her. Who was she kidding, though? Her mother knew she was attracted to Finn without having to tell her, chances were he knew too. Opting to play the honesty card, hoping it would get more respect from him, Prue knew Finnick was too kind to completely crush her by laughing at her confession. "He knows that I like you, and he doesn't want to force my hand."

Watching a highly amused smile threatening to take over Finn's entire face, Prue's face quickly heated, fearing she was way off base and he was going to laugh her out of here. As long as she got to keep her job, she figured it was alright. Her pride would happily take a hit. Lies were for children and weak people too afraid to step on toes, and that didn't describe Prue at all. Gasping quietly as she watched Finn break the space between them, Prue let him kiss her, too taken back to respond immediately. Finding herself erupting with a quiet fit of laughter against his lips, Prue forced herself back, staring at the gorgeous man with shock and awe.

"I'm sorry. I just.. you surprised me. Let me try again.." Giving her best innocent face, Prue reached out to take Finn's hands to bring him closer. Letting go and reaching up to hold the sides of his perfectly structured face, her eyes refused to close, too concerned with just how wonderfully made his lips were. "Does it not phase you how ridiculously good looking you are?"

Not waiting for an answer, she closed the gap once more, doing her best to stay calm and focus on memorizing the man's lips. Leaning into his chest while Finn's hands returned to her bare back, exploring it with strong fingers, the girls breath already threatening hyperventilation. Forcing herself to pull away before she did something stupid like attempt to crawl in his lap, Prue forced herself a cushion length away. It took a few moments to realize what normal breathing felt like, but it gradually came back. Reaching up to tuck her hair behind her ears, a surprised but happy expression taking over her face as her head shook at Finn.

"This is bad. Bad, bad, bad. You can't start out your term as mayor with the scandal of getting into something with your _secretary_." Prue had hoped putting space between them would calm her down some, but it was not doing anything but making her anticipation to kiss him again worse.

"Last time I checked you were an administrative assistant. I think that holds a little more credibility than a secretary. Anyway, it's not like anyone needs to know. I tend to keep my personal life private, don't you?"

Nodding in reply, Prue found herself unable to form words as she watched Finn start unbuttoning his shirt. She didn't want anything to happen but it was impossible to tell the man to stop stripping in front of her. Chewing nervously on her bottom lip, she let herself be pulled down on the couch to an almost supine while Finn positioned himself over her. The inappropriate fit of laughter rose again, Prue had chalked it up to being nervous, but this was something else. Seeing Finn without his shirt made her feel like even with her skinny but muscular body she was completely unacceptable. It looked like chiseled rock on his abdomen, everything perfectly tanned to match his face and hands, and with the way his pants hung low on his hips she could see no sign of tan lines. Reaching up tentatively to touch his stomach to make sure it was real, Prue's head shook in disbelief as Finn's hands began their own search.

"I don't… I mean, I can't.. I haven't." Sighing in frustration, Prue tried her best to find the words to explain her inexperience to Finn without sounding like the child she felt like she was. Shifting underneath the man as he reached around her thighs, groping and tugging them as he went, Prue dropped her head back against the cushion as her arm lifted to cover her face. "We can't do much."

Groaning in frustration as Finn stopped tugging her body against his, she finally peaked over her arm to look at the man's expression. He didn't seem angry, but he wasn't too thrilled either. It must be hard for an older man to be with an inexperienced girl , but she wasn't going to be like Pozy and let any good looking guy who smiled at her to get into her pants either. Pushing herself to sit up as Finn pulled his shirt back on but didn't make any attempts to button it, her face looked almost as apologetic as she felt. Gnawing on her bottom lip as she waited for Finn to say something, Prue finally pushed herself up and grabbed her jacket from between two cushions where it had retreated.

"I'm sorry.." She wasn't sure what exactly for, but she felt the need to apologize as she pulled on her blazer. Adjusting her top, she finally got rewarded with a faint smile from the man sulking on the couch while she stood, waiting to be asked to stay as she threatened to leave. Prue wasn't sorry about the state of her virginity. She was in no rush to get rid of it, and had no qualms about telling Finn, Deen, or anyone else for that matter "no". It was also harder to fall into random romps with Finn than Deen, what with the lack of history between the two of them. Things with her best friend were fluid, but with her new boss, it was downright nerve wrecking. Maybe she would luck out and Finn would tell her he couldn't do a secret relationship with a child if she was unwilling to do anything physically. It would stink, for sure, but at least it would save her constant fights to keep her pants on.

"Prue, don't be sorry. Your innocence is part of what I adore about you. Look, I have a dinner meeting I have to get ready for, and a very cold shower with my name in it. I'll see you Monday after school, alright?" Watching him turn from a frustrated man into a respectable boss in a matter of minutes, Prue couldn't help but feel a little discouraged at him kicking her out, but she couldn't blame him. Nodding and offering a weak smile as she grabbed her folder, she was dismissed with a quick kiss on her forehead before Finn escorted her to the door.

"See you Monday, boss."

Prue opted for the long way home, taking to the woods to find some serenity she hoped would fix the internal conflict that was threatening to grow from a small fire to a blazing inferno. Finn was phenomenal. He was intelligent, well rounded, insightful and too attractive for his own good. With the second visit alone still fresh in her head, the girl allowed herself to dissect it as she leaped over low branches and gracefully treaded through the soil. It was habit for her, to be hardly seen and rarely heard, even if she wasn't hunting at the time. It made spying on her parents or brother easy, too. Pulling her hair into a high ponytail as she reached a familiar tree, she disregarded the fact she was properly dressed for once and climbed it quickly, scaling the enormous growth to find her perch about 15 feet in the air. Staring forward into a small opening to allow the horizon to assist in clearing her head, Prue smiled to herself. You could take the girl out of the woods, but you couldn't take the woods out of the girl. How ridiculous she must look, dressed in beautiful fabrics with fancy accessories, all forgot as she pulled herself up to sit on a dirty branch.

Was working for Finnick going to mean she had to compromise herself? Obviously clothes were now the least of her concern. The man expected her to be seen and not heard. He wanted a woman that looked pretty, did what she was told, and smiled pleasantly the whole time as if she lived to be enslaved. The thought made Prue's stomach lurch. Katniss had never been that way with her father, and it was part of why her daughter respected her so much. So many of her friends parents had those gender-specific roles with the specifically outlined rules of how they needed to act, what they needed to do, and were completely comfortable with not making any alterations. Delly, for one, was the proper house wife and mother. Rory was a strong willed man like his older brother, Gale, but he seemed to have a genuinely good heart. That was the only reason he stood by without a word as he expected everything to be handed to him once he walked in the door. Dinner was expected to be on the table the same time every evening, weekends were for projects, his house needed to be spotless, and his children well mannered. Delly looked proper every time Prue could remember seeing her – never a hair out of place. She was a very sweet woman, always kind to the family and friends she spent time with, but Prue wondered if there was some sadness hidden behind her eyes. Did women actually _want_ to be told what to do? Were they genuinely _happy_ to appease their men? The thought brought the unwelcomed taste of bile to the back of the girl's throat.

Still, Prue couldn't help but wonder if giving the job a shot was something that needed to happen. She was in need of skills that would help her decide what to be later in life. The experience would be excellent for her, even if she turned around and decided to join the National Guard instead. This would teach her discipline. Of all her faults, Prue's temper was the worst, and in working for someone day in and day out, where it was her only job to do as she was told, the girl hoped it would somehow condition her to be calmer. It seemed as though the majority of her fears for working alongside Finnick were romantically based, not career oriented. Obviously as a boss, his interest in her personality wasn't going to affect her work ethic. Was she willing to even attempt starting some kind of relationship with her boss who clearly adhered to the "don't ask, don't tell" policy where relationships were concerned? Prue didn't care for public displays of affection, but to be so intimate with someone behind closed doors only to be practically ignored in public? Was that really something she wanted to take on? Especially after Deen seemed so eager to hold her hand or be obscenely close to her when they walked through town. It was such a drastic change, she couldn't help but feel as if her mind was already made.

_It's not fair to either of us to jump into something without seeing what else is out there._

Assuring herself repeatedly before climbing down the tree as the sun started to set, Prue wondered just how long she'd been sitting up there. Hours? Thinking about her predicament? That seemed ludicrous. Finishing the walk home, she was pleased to see her father in the yard finishing his work with the rose bushes. Shoving her hands in her pockets as she quietly snuck up behind him, she watched her father's careful touch with the beautiful flowers as he meticulously groomed them. Taking a seat next to him on the grass, he finally recognized he wasn't alone only when her hand touched his shoulder. Smiling sweetly as she started to smooth the grass by her leg, she didn't dare ask to assist in the arduous task. Prue had as much of a green thumb as her mother, and her late aunts memorial flowers were far too precious for an unskilled gardener such as herself.

"Dad.. can I ask you a question?" Staring at the grass beside her now very intently as if it held the secrets to life, Prue didn't dare take a look at her father, fearing he'd look right through her and into her very soul like he had so many times. It was impossible to not be entirely honest with the man when he looked at her with his incredulous glare.

"Anything, sweet pea." Setting the trimmers down to give him both hands free to help adjust himself on the ground, Peeta turned to his daughter, an amused grin tugging at his mouth as he watched her. She was so like her mother in most ways it was unnerving.

"As a guy.. if you liked a girl.. I mean, liked her enough to kiss her.. would it be weird to expect her to not acknowledge you as anything more than an acquaintance?"

"Pea, if a guy actually likes you, especially enough to kiss you, he should feel compelled to shout it from the roof tops, not hide it away like some secret. Even the most discrete man should feel overwhelmed with joy to just hold a girl's hand if he truly cares about her."


	6. Chapter 6 - your plans

A restful Sunday seemed to be in order, and with the rain pouring down like there was no tomorrow, the idea of sitting in a tree waiting for something to come along seemed less than thrilling. Prue hadn't made it an entire weekend with her grandmother, mainly because the woman was almost never there so visiting her proved to be fairly pointless. They had dinner together Friday night when the girl arrived, they talked for hours in hopes of catching up, Prue of course censoring half of what came out of her mouth. Katniss' mom was the only grandmother she had, and while the woman could be unbelievably frustrating at times, she loved her to pieces. The woman seemed fairly clueless though when it came to the biggest parts of her life. It shouldn't have come as a surprise seeing as how she handled Katniss at that age. There were no delusions for Prue, she knew that she would never have a cozy relationship with the aging woman. Grandmother wasn't cold, but she seemed nearly incapable of being warm to anyone. Katniss had told her daughter that the old woman had completely checked out when Primrose died. It was a haunting thought, knowing how dead to the world she was when her husband died, then turning off her heart completely when her youngest died. How hard could that have been for Katniss? Despite her protests of not needing a doting mother, the then-teenager didn't even have the option to have one. Those thoughts fueled the slight hostility she had for the woman despite the genuine love she couldn't help but feel for her only living relative outside of the immediate family.

Saturday came and went with little excitement. Grandmother had been called into work for a couple hours, in which Prue spent dissecting the woman's living conditions. She found tons of pictures of her mother, and some keepsakes she'd assumed were Prim's. Settling in for a late lunch with the woman, she finally gave in and asked if she could borrow some clothes. The idea of buying clothes deemed acceptable for a working woman made Prue dread her first paycheck, but living off aunt Johanna, her mother, and her grandmother's wardrobes didn't seem like such a practical idea. Accepting a dozen dresses and a handful of tops and bottoms, she graciously thanked the woman and packed them away before lingering around awkwardly waiting for dinner to roll around so she could have no other excuse to stay awake. District 4 had very little to offer Prue, and while she was so close to the capitol, the idea of stopping in and checking it out seemed daunting. Telling her grandmother at dinner that she was going to take the first train in the morning, she smiled and kissed the woman goodnight after a short conversation about school and her upcoming job before heading off to bed.

The first work week had surprisingly exhausted Prue, but not in the way she thought it would have. Going to school for eight hours, then working for three immediately after took no special toll on her body, but her mind was reeling by the time she poured herself onto the train to see her grandmother. The girl found herself overanalyzing her actions more than the work she was doing. It seemed to take all her energy to keep focus on the organization and preparation Finnick had her working on in the upcoming weeks leading to his inauguration. The palpable tension between the two was frustrating to no end, and while they both kept busy in his hotel room, Prue was eagerly awaiting the day when she had an actual office. The taunting from the girls at school was no walk in the park, either. Hearing the girls she made fun of her whole life actually try and befriend her because she "cleaned up well" was complete and utter bullshit. She had avoided wearing dresses the entire week, but Katniss' supply of dress pants had run out Friday leaving her to sport a flattering floral dress that actually showed the teenager had a figure. It took all her strength to not punch a cocky Hale Matthews as he tried to hit on her during their lunch period. The ultimate icing on the cake, however, was running into a disheveled Pozy Hawthorne as she exited the inn while Prue ran in one afternoon. She was no idiot, and the reason for Pozy's visit was as obvious as the older woman's need for discretion in the unnecessarily tight and short dress she had worn that afternoon. The only happiness the young girl received was the look of confusion and anger Deen's aunt expressed at Prue's arrival.

Now, decision in tow, Prue was ready to face her best friend who had covertly been avoiding her for an entire week. After a quick call to request he come over, the girl found herself tidying up her room and showering quickly to appear somewhat presentable. It was comforting to know she didn't have to dress up to evoke desirable looks from Deen, Prue did her best to look as comfortable and unappealing as possible in her baggy sweatpants and oversized shirt. Waiting impatiently, she did her absolute best to focus on the text books sprawled across her bed, demanding her attention. School had never been a problem for her, comprehension came easy for her, and while testing wasn't her strong suit, she still did above average. Homework, on the other hand, was always a grueling task. Hence her great love for Deen. He always succumbed to Prue's begging and while he always had his own demands in return for doing her work, she was pleased it was never anything taxing.

"No one's home.." Not taking her eyes off her English book as a knock came at the door, she figured her brother wanted to bother her or her mother wanted to have a heart-to-heart. Neither of which seemed exceptionally appealing at the moment.

"Well that's unfortunate, because I have some rather pressing business to discuss." Looking up as she heard Deen's voice, a rush of relief, happiness, and excitement overcame her. Launching herself off the bed and leaping across the small space between them, Prue threw her arms around her friend's neck and hugged him as tightly as she could against her smaller frame.

"Dammit, Deen. If you ignore me for that long ever again I might kill you." Pulling away, unable or willing to take the exceptionally happy grin off her face, Prue held her friend's hand as she walked back to her bed. Taking a seat at the head, she tugged Deen onto the bed as well, urging him to sit in front of her.

"Well if the result is you doing your own homework and throwing yourself at me, I don't really see the downside." His tone was neutral, but there was something else there. Behind his eyes, she could tell something was brooding. Anger? Sadness? Frustration? Whatever it was, it didn't sit right with Prue.

"Seriously, Everdeen. Talk to me. In all the years we've known each other, out of all the fights we've had.. you have never avoided me for that long. It really sucked." Knotting her fingers together and holding her hands in her lap, Prue avoided her friend's sad expression as she studied her nails carefully.

"Prue, come here." Reaching over to take the girl's small hands in his own large ones, Deen tugged her forward, and guided her to turn around before pulling her back to lean against him with her back to his chest. Wrapping his arms securely around her so she couldn't move, the boy let his cheek press against her soft hair. The overwhelming smell of daisies attacked his nose, making his stomach do flips. Kissing her freshly washed hair, he let a quiet sigh out against it. "I wasn't avoiding you, okay? I mean, I was but not intentionally. I just.. I have a lot on my mind and I am used to talking everything out with you, but when it's about you, it makes things a little harder. I spent time talking to Abigail, Cinnick, and even Johanna, but it's impossible to come to a definitive conclusion."

Prue grinned as she listened to her friend. He rarely talked to his sister, Abigail, about anything, so to know he talked to her about Prue was quite flattering. Turning her head to stare at Deen, she smiled lightly as she tilted her chin to kiss his. The hopes of getting through an afternoon with her friend in a completely platonic sense was out the door as soon as he walked in. Hopefully she would still be able to find the words to explain everything she came to conclude while visiting District 4.

"I've been doing thinking too, you know. It's tough, being in the same boat, with the same person, and not being able to talk to them about it." Looking to Deen's face for confirmation of his feeling the same way, Prue smiled at his nod. At least they were miserable together for the past 7 days.

"I'm so conflicted, Pea. I just want to be with you, but I hate the idea of messing stuff up. I don't want to make you feel like I'm pressuring you into anything because then you'd just resent me. I don't want you to date me out of pity." The brutal honesty coming from Deen was reassuring and empowering. If her friend could tell her how he felt without restraint, surely she owed him the same.

"I'm conflicted too, Deen. I do want to be with you, I mean shit.. you're my best friend. You know me better than anyone. Now with the romantic aspect it's like taking alcohol away from uncle Haymitch." The images of the recently deceased neighbor surprisingly brings a smile to the girl's face. He was crude, loud, obscene, but absolutely hilarious, and deep down he was a genuinely good guy. "I hate not being around you, it's like I'm going through withdrawal when you're not around. It's terrifying to know I need you so much."

Letting the silence devour them for a while, Prue forces herself to pull away from Deen and sit up and turn to face him. Such honesty and depth demanded eye contact, and even though it meant parting from the much craved touch she'd yearned for all week, it was for the best. Inching as close as possible until their knees and shins touched while they continued to sit with folded legs, Prue moved her hand to Deen's cheek, the warmth there bringing a bright smile to her face. His own smile had been sorely missed, had it really only been several days?

"Listen, if you want to date other people and see what all is out there, that's fine, whatever.. but I need to know what your plans are. This waiting and not knowing is seriously eating away at me." Deen had moved his head, forcing Prue to drop her hand from his face. His words and actions were on two completely different planes, bringing Prue's frustration out even more so.

"Deen, don't be an ass. I'm not refusing to date you so I can go sleep around town with every guy." Literally biting her tongue to keep from saying 'like your aunt', Prue forces herself to take a long, deep breath before continuing – her voice slightly less menacing. "Dammit Deen, we're seventeen. The idea of being with one man for the rest of my life is terrifying right now. I don't want to be a teen bride, a young mother, and some shell of my former self by the time I'm 25. I can't be like your mother, Deen…"

The words didn't mean to come out harsh, and she knew he'd understood her hatred for women who were 'obedient'. Deen loved his mother more than anything in the world, but he never thought about marrying a woman like her. He admired Prue's fire too much to settle for a girl who simply did as she was told. Nodding in reply, Deen continued to listen instead of shoving Prue away – this was already turning out better than she'd expected.

"You're not the kind of guy I could just date, Deen…" Staring at her hands once more as they toyed idly with the hem of her pants, Prue drug her bottom lip between her teeth to gnaw on as she waited for the words. She'd thought about them over and over again, and while it seemed harsh to say them and immediately follow with 'I want to see other people', it wouldn't benefit either if she with held her feelings. "Deen, if I dated you right out of high school I would never break up with you. I'd marry you and never know about all the bad eggs out there. I need to have the freedom to make mistakes, and do stupid things. We both do. When I do finally decide to force you to date me, I want it to be with no regrets. I need us both to know that we looked and no one else in the world is better suited for one another."

"Do you hear how fucked up this is?" Laughing wearily, Deen takes Prue's hands in his own and squeezes them tightly. Sadly, he completely understood the girl and where she was coming from. Morbid curiosity, perhaps? Refusing to do what everyone expects, possibly? No matter what the reasoning behind it was, he had no choice but to accept it. The idea of dating other girls didn't interest him, and the image of Prue with Finnick made his blood run cold, but there was nothing he could do but accept it. "What if we find someone? It's a long shot, but what if we stumble across someone better suited for us?"

"Oh.." The thought hadn't really surfaced in her mind, but now the fears of its implications were painfully obvious. She could see herself growing old with Deen, without a doubt, but what if someone else could see that as well? What if someone else wanted it before she did? Feeling her stomach sink infinitely, Prue couldn't begin to try and hide her disgust. "I guess we come forward with this revelation? No choice but to accept it.."

"Prue, so help me God if you fall in love with someone and leave me to marry some mediocre wench.. I'll kill you." Laughing brightly at his words, the girl immediately launched herself at her friend once more, tightening her arms around his neck as she fell on top of him, knocking him onto his back on the bed. Resting her body against his while she continued to hug him, hanging on like it was life or death, Prue knew that the likelihood of his charming demeanor winning a girl over was far more likely than her falling for some smooth talker with a pretty face.

"I'll tell you what, Hawthorne… you do my homework instead of just laying on top of it, and I'll promise to save my 'I do' for you." Winking at the boy, she laughed loudly once more as he swiftly turned, rolling her over and off him. Watching as he quickly took the books and sat up to look over them, she knew it wouldn't be hard since his homework for the same classes was most likely done.

"Challenge accepted."


	7. Chapter 7 - no apologies

Weeks had somehow turned into months, the new routine of sleep, school, work and repeat were entirely consuming. The only freedom that seemed to exist anymore was Saturday and Sunday mornings and afternoons when she was allowed to go hunting. Allowed, it was a simple word but it was really starting to annoy the young girl. Last time she had checked she wasn't a small child or an animal that needed to be 'handled'. Yet, here her boss was doing just that. The move from the inn to the justice building was not all she'd thought it would be in terms of clarity, and apparently it only fueled Finnick's frustration. Apparently the man was more comfortable trying to get friendly with Prue behind the closed doors of his newly furnished office than he was in his old hotel room. Honestly, the advances from the older man were the least of her concern, because how could a gorgeous man like that always wanting to kiss you be bad? It was, again, the emotional aspect of her encounters that left Prue exhausted and wanting. It was incredibly exhausting going from the girl sitting on his desk getting fondled one minute to his respectful secretary the next who was only expected to file papers and get him and his business guest coffee.

Surprisingly, the fact that Finnick seemed to have no interest in being anything more than physical with her wasn't the biggest problem for Prue. With graduation just a month away, the young girl was actually looking forward to saying goodbye to the confining walls of their school house more than ever. The urge to 'see other people', had not fallen on deaf ears and Deen had taken his chance to practically date every girl they knew. Prue wasn't sure if this was retaliation or just Deen being a smart ass, but whatever it was, it kept the teenager tossing and turning at night. She wasn't naive enough to think that he'd never get with anyone else, hell she had been the one to suggest it, but to see it was completely different. The two barely spoke anymore, and while they went out and hunted together still, it wasn't the same. Their silence wasn't filled with silent conversation and knowing looks anymore, it was just the opposite. The silence was deafening and the solitude of the forest was no longer welcome for either of them.

Friday

Staring at the clock tick tauntingly slow, Prue continued to fidget at her desk. The last hour of the last day of class for the week was always the most tedious. Idly tapping her heeled shoe against the floor as she waited for the last ten minutes to conclude so she could rush off to work, the girl didn't bother to look around the room. The snide looks from her female classmates had not dissipated, nor had the downright carnal stares from the male ones. It was beyond her as to why people couldn't just accept the fact sure, she dressed a little different now, but it was strictly for work. It didn't make her other, more intimidating tributes null and void. She could still shoot the bird incessantly chirping outside of the window a couple yards away. Was it taunting her too?! Glaring at the window, her eyes unwillingly fell to Deen's chair. He was taking a break from chatting up the few girls around him, surprisingly. Maybe he had finally decided to get serious with one of them and had to ignore the rest now? The thought made Prue's stomach turn. Not realizing how long she'd been staring, the girl flinched as the teacher's voice rang out over the silence, announcing their homework and freedom as the bell rang. Pushing herself out of the uncomfortable hardwood chair, Prue grabbed her books and lingered in the back of the class for once, using the excuse to tug at the short hem of her all-too-form-fitting-dress down as she waited for the majority of the people to leave. Walking quickly to catch her friend's arm before he left her alone with Mrs. Orchard in their English class, Prue's hand practically burst into flames with the heat radiating from his skin. Had it really been that long since she'd made actual contact with the boy?

"Can we talk?" Looking up to her friend's dark eyes with her bright, hopeful ones, Prue offered the most innocent, shy smile she could muster.

"Don't you have to get to work?" Raising his eyebrow, he looked over the young girl and rolled his eyes before pulling away. The black and white floral dress Prue had worn that day was too tight, too short, and too unlike his old friend it had made him sick. Sure, she looked ridiculously sexy, but the reason behind why she wore it, or rather who she wore it for, just increased his nausea.

"Come over tonight? I really want to talk!" Hollering behind Deen as he left her in the doorway to head to his locker before leaving, Prue stood there for a few more moments to quietly sulk.

"Can't. Have a date." Yelling back as he pulled out two books from his locker, he didn't even steal a passing glance before leaving the school.

"Boys can be very fickle creatures, Miss Mellark."

Snapping her attention to the forgotten teacher at her desk behind Prue, the young girl looked over the aging woman with curiosity. She was married, wasn't she? Offering a faint smile before dropping her head to study the corner of her textbook with sudden interest, Prue's shoulders shrugged in reply.

"They're actually very simple. Even the most complicated man.." Watching the blond woman laugh quietly, Prue couldn't help but wonder if she'd ever actually heard her teacher genuinely make that sound. It brought a smile to the girl's face. Hugging her text book to her chest as she walked into the classroom a little more, Prue studied the woman's face, hoping she'd continue and let the teenager know the secret behind men.

"The simplest only care about one thing, obviously. Need. They want what every red-blooded male wants, sadly. They want to be needed. The more they're needed, the more important they feel. At the core of the most complicated man, they want the same thing. The more important the man, the greater the desire."

Staring blankly at the woman, Prue hung on the words, devouring and savoring them as if they were the most introspective strewn together sentences that ever existed. She already knew this, didn't she? Perhaps she just needed to hear it out loud to find it that much more compelling of a statement. Nodding at her teacher, Prue forced another, faker bright smile as she backed away from the woman to leave.

"Sad but true, Mrs. Orchard. Thank you. I'm gonna be late for work.. I'll see you Monday!"

Finnick and Deen were essentially the same then, according to her teacher. Mulling over the thought as she walked to the Justice Building, Prue couldn't help but dissect the presumed fact. It seemed true enough. They both needed what they felt was necessary, and without it they were angry, rude little boys. Without the acceptance of a relationship from her, Deen turned into a sulky teenager who'd rather avoid her all together than actually have a conversation. Without the willingness to have sex, Finnick found Prue to lack importance to him for more than a few heated minutes alone in his office. She'd never have anything more with her boss if she didn't present him with more, but it wasn't something she was willing to give. Neither was the idea of a relationship, not yet anyway.

Stealing a quick glance at the clock as she walked in, Prue cursed to herself under her breath as she rushed to Finnick's office. Knocking on the door lightly, she stepped into the quiet room and lingered by the doorway. Finn was deeply enthralled with whatever he was reading at the moment and for once didn't look like the stressed out, overly worked, too old mayor of District 12. Without a tie, his top button on his dress shirt unbuttoned and no suit jacket, he looked breathtakingly youthful and handsome. Today was probably the first time she'd seen his hair disheveled outside of his hotel room, and for some reason it was a sight she enjoyed savoring.

"You're late, Miss Mellark."

Without looking up from the book he had open in front of him, his voice sounded eerily calm yet somehow menacing. Realizing she was still clutching her English book, Prue quickly tossed it on her desk a few feet away from the doorway she was standing in. Closing the door quietly, she turned back to Finn's desk, her entire body tensing as she took in his now reclined body while he silently stared at her. Clenching her fists together as she walked closer to his desk, she stopped at the side and let her head fall slightly to stare at the wood floor beneath her.

"I'm sorry, sir. My teacher needed to keep me after to discuss something. Won't happen again. What can I do for you?"

Clasping her fist behind her back, Prue raised her head and pushed her shoulders back. Normally if she kept a proud stance, she felt more confident in front of her boss. Without a word he had a way of making her feel inferior, and she hated it. At the moment, he was doing just that. His eyebrow cocked slightly as his unamused eyes stared at her face before raking uncomfortably slow down her body then back up again.

"Oh, there's plenty for you to do, Miss Mellark." His tone wasn't it's normal one, it was his suggestive, I'm-about-to-defile-you one that made Prue's knees weak. Ignoring her burning cheeks as her mouth threatened to pull into a smirk, she restrained herself, forcing the firm line to remain as she stood unwaveringly still. "We can start with you on my desk. I need to inspect that hem of yours."

Fourty-five minutes later, Prue was finally dismissed to finish the paperwork that needed to be filed at her desk but only after retrieving some coffee for Finnick. She'd exhausted him apparently, and the caffeine was his only pick me up. Making the few phone calls he demanded she find time for between filing and preparing his schedule for the next week, Prue idly rubbed her jaw as she listened to the business people on the other line ramble on and on. Whenever she did things with Deen she found it all to be terribly exciting. It was a thrill to get away with such acts in public with her best friend, but with Finnick, her boss, it was so completely different. It should be hotter, shouldn't it? The ante upped because of his high profile status and just how wrong it was. Somehow, though, it felt worse. More "wrong" but not in a thrilling way. Dirty, without the sexy side. Perhaps it was the fact that he completely dismissed her after such an intimate encounter, expecting her to 'know her place' and do her work as soon as he decided he was finished. Once his needs were met, Prue was no more important to him than the empty cup of coffee he tossed in the trash. Allowing her heart to sink with the realization that she was equally disposable, she idly flipped through her planner as she checked it against her paper notes for appointments, events and the like.

"Prue, can you come in here?"

Looking at the intercom on her desk, she frowned with confusion as she pushed herself away from the desk. She always knew what kind of mood he was in depending on how he addressed her. The "Miss Mellark" was his serious, usually angry address, the "Prue" was his friendlier, I'm-sorry-for-being-an-asshole address, and if he just demanded something without saying her name she knew he was all business and too concerned with his work to bother remembering her first or last name. Entering his office again, she smiled sweetly at the man as she leaned back against the door.

"Yes, boss?"

"Don't look at me with that sexy but adorable look of yours. Prudence, come on." Giving her his best charming and disarming grin, Prue crossed the room to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of the man's desk. Crossing her legs and resting her hands on her knee, her expression entertained and expectant, she couldn't help but laugh quietly at his playful mood. It always won her over no matter how sullen she was.

"So you know the party for all the district mayors at the President's home is coming up next month, right? Well, seeing as I don't have time to date, but need a beautiful woman on my arm.. would you be interested in accompanying me? We could get some work done while we're there, if it would make you feel more comfortable."

Was this Finnick's way of asking her on a date, or was he simply saying he couldn't be bothered with pursuing an actual date so he was taking the easy way out with his secretary/the girl he occasionally fondles and gets him off. Either way, the opportunity to go to the capitol for a government function was too exciting to turn down. Nodding eagerly as her voice abandoned her momentarily, Prue leaned forward, expecting details on what to do and what to wear. Oh God, what would she wear to a president hosted function?! Surely aunt Johanna would have _something_.

"This weekend I'm going home to finish packing the last of my stuff to bring it back here. If you don't have plans, I'd like you to come with me."

There was no way of misinterpreting that one! Finnick Jay Odair wanted little Prue Mellark to go away with him for a weekend! Sure, they'd be packing and there was nothing exceptionally romantic about that, but they'd be together and alone. Maybe things were looking up? Pushing herself up and smiling down at the man, Prue couldn't begin to mask her happiness as she beamed in his direction.

"Very good, sir. Anything else?"

Showing teeth with her bright smile as he laughed, Prue could practically feel herself melt. His laugh was so beautiful.

"Yes. I'd like you to wear that one navy dress tomorrow night. The one with those little birds or whatever they are on the top." Giving Finn a skeptical look, she knew that dress was too formal for cleaning, and too long for his liking. Opening her mouth to ask why, she stopped as he smiled at her. "We're having dinner with my mother. Have to make sure you look presentable."

Saturday

The late night train ride was one she'd never forget, and while she was tired today, it was entirely worth it. The romantic dinner together was only the beginning, and without a doubt everything she'd hoped a first date would be. Finnick turned from her boss into the perfect gentleman in a matter of minutes, and it floored her. She was used to boss-turned-perv, but dinner was – as cliché as it was – magical. Dessert, however, was the best and for as hard as she tried to remember, she couldn't imagine her friend Deen being as.. attentive. Chocolate covered strawberries, champagne and going to bed with Finnick – they were all tied for first place.

Today was strict business, though, and after the night she had, it was all she could manage. The two worked separately the majority of the morning, filling boxes and tossing things, only speaking to inquire how progress was going, or to ask if something was going to be tossed, kept, or stored away. With a quick break for lunch, the two finally finished everything Finnick wanted done around four that afternoon. Dinner wasn't for a couple hours, and while she was looking forward to getting ready, Prue couldn't help but fight the urge to take a nap. The moment her head hit Finnick's pillow, she was out.

"You have to wake up, we gotta go in an hour." Finn's voice was the softest she'd ever heard, and for the life of her she couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. Groaning as she turned to try and push his face away from her, Prue fought the man's prying hands, urging her to get up. Five more minutes wouldn't make a difference!

"Come on, baby, you have to get in the shower." Freezing at his words, Prue kept her eyes closed but stopped fighting. _Baby_ ? Feeling the immediate tug of a grin, the girl quickly squirmed as Finn's hands found her waist, tickling her most sensitive area as he kissed the side of her neck softly. "If you want help I could.. wash your back? We gotta be quick though, my mom won't be happy if we're late."

Huffing as she forced her eyes open, Prue shoved Finn away to allow herself room to sit up. Shaking her head at his offer, she knew that they'd never make it on time if she allowed herself to be naked in a small space with the man again. Pulling her hair out of its braid, she tugged her shirt off and threw it on Finn's head before leaving to take a shower.

An hour later, the two had barely made it to Annie's house between Prue rushing to get ready, Finn constantly trying to thwart her efforts, and the heated make out session turned happy ending for the man that he'd insisted would only take a couple minutes. Men clearly had no concept of time.

"Prue, darling you look lovely! How are your parents and Cinn?" Annie's constant slew of compliments and doting had turned the okay day into an absolutely wonderful one. It was the first time she'd been in District 4 where she actually felt like staying. Her grandmother had never made her feel so welcomed and adored. It was quite a wonderful feeling.

Throughout dinner, the three discussed almost every topic imaginable between Finn's new job as mayor, Prue's new job as his assistant, the upcoming graduation, Peeta's bakery, Katniss' meat distribution, and Cinnick's interests for after school. Prue thanked all things holy that Mrs. Odair hadn't pressed the issue of what Prue wanted to do after school, hoping that a job for the mayor was a decent enough answer for a while. College was always an option, and while the girl was smart enough, nothing seemed to hold her interest to jump in without a definitive plan. After the all too filling lasagna Annie made, and the blueberry cobbler they'd forced down for dessert, Finn had to all but carry Prue out after their third cup of tea. It was nice to feel so at home when you were so far away, but even back in 12, Prue couldn't remember ever being so full, which was no one's fault but her own. Peeta was an exceptional cook and there were always leftovers, but the solitude of her bedroom was more pressing as of late. With nothing to overanalyze tonight, though, the girl ate better than she had in months.

"I hope you come back soon. Don't forget your dear old mom." Watching Annie dote over Finn, kissing over his cheeks and straightening his tie, Prue couldn't fight the warm smile that came as she looked at the two's affectionate exchange. Turning to hug Annie after she let her son go, Prue squeezed the small woman as tight as she could.

"Take care of my boy, sweet Pea. He can be frustrating, but deep down he really is a good boy." Listening to her whispers, Prue beamed against the woman's shoulder as she held onto their hug for as long as possible without it being weird. Kissing Annie's cheek as she moved back, Prue and Finn finally departed for their walk back to his apartment.

"My mom really likes you." Allowing her hand to be captured in Finn's, Prue found she was incredibly grateful for the night to mask her over the top grin and her red hot cheeks. Remaining silent as they walked back to his place, she couldn't help but wonder if this would be the norm if Finn wasn't Mayor. If the two had met on one of Prue's visits to see her grandmother, and hit it off somehow. This low-key, care free, easy going Finn was a lot more enjoyable than the strict, high maintenance, constantly angry Mayor Odair back home. She hadn't been dismissed once this weekend, and for once she actually felt like she was wanted in his presence for more than just a helping hand.

Crawling into bed after washing her makeup off and changing into one of his oversized shirts, Prue let her mind wander as the two fell into a restful night after their long day together. Wrapped in his strong arm, Prue let herself curl up beside him, hugging his bare skin to hers while her leg captured one of his, letting it wrap around him like a vine. Dreams of happy relationships, easy going weekends, and a simpler Finn filled the girl's mind as they slept.

Sunday

Waking up to the smell of coffee, eggs, bacon and toast, Prue drug herself out of the otherwise empty bed and rubbed her eyes as she wandered into the box filled living room. Seeing a shirtless Finn at the stove was enough to wake her up more than any cup of coffee could. Quietly walking up behind him, Prue let her small arms securely wrap around his bare midsection as her chest pressed against his back. Kissing his shoulder blades lightly as her hips pressed against his backside, she found herself laughing brightly as her hands roamed over his toned abdomen and down to the waistband of his pajama pants. She could definitely get used to this.

"Eat first, little lady." Swatting Prue's hands away, she took a step back as he turned away from the stove to put the second omelet on the table. Taking a seat at the place setting with orange juice instead of coffee, the girl crossed her overly exposed legs as she tried her best to focus her still sleepy eyes on the beautiful display of man cooking for her.

"I like you much better in District 4. I don't think I've ever seen you this happy since you started working." Reaching up to tuck her long hair behind her ears, Prue's smile grew as he came over to bring her toast and quickly kissed her cheek.

"I like you better in 4, too. You rarely wear pants to begin with, but no dress.. how could a guy get so lucky?" Letting Finn's hands explore her bare skin for a few moments, she swatted them away as they got too close to the apex of her legs. Shaking her head as she pointed to her food, she reminded him of his words moments before at the stove.

"Eat first."

The rest of their stay in District 4 was work as usual, getting everything they could onto carts to take to the train that was scheduled to take them home at noon. Loading up everything but the furniture and what was going into storage, the two stopped by Annie's before they left, saying their goodbyes and dropping off Finnick's apartment key. Getting another, all encompassing, entirely lovable hug and kiss from the man's mother, Prue was all but giddy as they finally got on board to head home. Settling down in their dining car, the girl pulled her bag from the floor, for the first time since Friday afternoon remembering she had homework still.

Passing the time together but doing their own thing, Prue couldn't help but wonder if once they got back if things might be different for them. They'd clearly had a wonderful, peaceful time together in District 4, and while she wasn't head over heels for him like Deen, she could definitely enjoy dating District 4 Finnick. Things could be different if Finn remained what she assumed to be his normal self - the happy, playful one that she couldn't help but be giddy with. Obviously they'd have to keep their work relationship less care free than how the weekend went, but maybe Finn would see now that a weekend with her could become a more permanent event. They were capable of having a work relationship, and something more.

Snapping out of her daydream as the train came to a stop and Finnick's hand patted her arm, she looked around to see out the window. The once dull shade of grey that was District 12 was now a livelier place to live and call home – and they had arrived. Gathering her things, Prue followed Finn out and began helping load the cart with his things to bring back to his place. A knowing grin played on her lips as they headed back, wondering if they'd have another night like Friday. She had school tomorrow, but it would be completely worth it if it meant spending a restless night with Finnick Odair. Stopping at the front door of his house, she smiled waiting for him to let her in.

"I can get this. Why don't you go home and finish your homework? I'll see you tomorrow." His tone wasn't clipped as it usually was when he was being formal with her, but Prue could already sense that stepping foot on 12 soil turned him back to his strictly work self. Sighing quietly, she nodded, already getting her answer to: could things be different.

"Goodnight, Miss Mellark."


	8. Chapter 8 - best friends

With the trip to District 4 long behind them, Prue and Finnick quickly returned to their normal routine of boss and secretary as if nothing had happened all those weeks ago. Graduation was in a couple days, and in two weeks she would get to experience her first high profile function. The girl was thrilled for both, mainly to get out of the monotony of school and feel more grown up, but also to get away from all her peers that had succeeded in making her feel even more like a freak than she'd ever felt before. Was this karma rearing its ugly head because of all the years Prue teased the seemingly vain girls she went to school with? Whatever it was, she couldn't be more eager to be done with it all.

Things with Deen hadn't improved at all, and while he nodded to acknowledge her existence, they hadn't been alone together for quite some time. He'd stopped hunting in her woods, having found a different area to venture into in hopes of avoiding the girl he grew up with. Whenever Prue tried to talk to him, Deen found an excuse to leave for whatever reason. Quite frankly, she couldn't take it anymore. If the man didn't stop acting like such a child, she was going to have to resort to beating him. As for her views on Finnick's hot and cold behavior, she'd finally accepted that some things were never going to change. She did her best to keep things purely professional, finding every chance she could to wear dress pants and unflattering tops that did nothing for her figure. It helped somewhat, but Prue still had her moments of weakness, feeling so deprived of physical contact that she would occasionally let him kiss her or pull her into his lap behind closed doors.

As much as she loved being with District 4 Finnick, she knew that man was not existent in District 12, and she was growing to accept it. As hard as she tried, Prue couldn't find any suitable men to date if her life depended on it. Everyone was too old, too young, too married, or too perverted. Those that could possibly pass as a suitable date had zero interest in a girl like Prue – a girl only when she was on the clock, and an overly opinionated, highly intimidating tomboy outside of work. Too many of her male classmates and those who graduated a couple years ago had no interest in an outspoken girl who stood her ground and was unwavering in terms of being treated like anything but their equal. That simple fact was probably the most depressing.

As time continued ticking away, Prue found she was glued to the clock on Mrs. Orchard's wall, unable to tell if the second had had moved at all in the past twenty minutes. Recoiling as Pepper Wells tapped her shoulder, Prue glared at the girl in confusion as the red-haired girl leaned in to whisper. She had spoken to the girl all of two times in the past 10 years and each time had been strictly out of necessity – having needed a pencil, and then the assignment for World Studies.

"What?" Giving Pepper an irritated look, Prue forced herself to pay attention to the pale faced girl. Perhaps listening to something other than her own thoughts would make the time actually move.

"You're like really good friends with Deen Hawthorne right.." Raising her eyes, Prue couldn't help but see the similarities between this random girl and the small children she saw in her dad's bakery, looking at freshly baked cookies as if getting one would make their life complete. Forcing a fake smile and a nod, she glanced across the room quickly to the brunette boy she had known her whole life who was now more distant than this virtual stranger giggling in her ear.

"Will you ask him if he wants to go out with me sometime? I mean, I'd do it myself but I don't want to come off as desperate or anything."

Leaning away from the red-head, Prue raised her eyebrow as she studied the girl. Yeah, she was serious. Rolling her eyes, she shoved herself back from her desk and grabbed her things as she stood. There were five minutes of class left, but she was done.

"Too late." Offering Pepper her best 'fuck you' expression, Prue briskly walked to the front of the room, asking Mrs. Orchard if she could be excused, stating she didn't feel well, which at that moment wasn't a complete lie. Thanking her teacher, the girl abandoned class and started on her way to the Justice Building.

Tomorrow was the last day she'd ever have to go in that school house, and for the life of her she couldn't see a reason to show up. What were they going to tell them that they didn't already cram into their heads over the past 10 years? It seemed pointless. Perhaps, Prue thought, if she started working on a fake cough now, Katniss would allow her to skip the last day all together. It was going to be a day full of goodbyes to people she didn't care about leaving, parties in each class for those graduating, and a small ceremony for the entire school to say good luck to those venturing out in the world. The actual graduation ceremony wasn't until Saturday, but she could go to that even if she missed tomorrow.

Arriving at work ten minutes before she normally did, Prue changed out of her flats and into a pair of heels she kept in the closet outside of Finn's office. Smoothing out her flowing black pants, she used the long window in front of her desk as a make-shift mirror to check her appearance quickly. Her orange blouse was somewhat form fitting, but not sexy in the least. Grinning at her effectiveness in coming off as nothing more than a co-worker to her almost-lover, Prue reached up to tighten her ponytail before turning to head into Finnick's office. Tapping quickly on the wood as she opened the door, Prue froze immediately as Carla Fisher, one of the distributors from District 11 stood next to Finnick's desk, hastily buttoning her shirt. She hadn't made it to her hair yet, it still giving off the freshly screwed look, and her face was that of a child whose parent just caught them doing something wrong.

"I'm so sorry.." Quickly shutting the door behind her, Prue leaned against the door frame for a moment, letting the chills rack her body as a wave of nausea took her by surprise. Hurrying to the bathroom before the blond could make her exit, the young girl crouched in a stall, holding her knees to her chest as she stared at the wall in disgust.

Men were disgusting, plain and simple. She didn't need them, nor did she want them. Why did Deen have to go and complicate shit by kissing her?! Life was so easy when she didn't know she was alive below the belt, and now she was without affection from Finn, the only other man she felt anything for, and her childhood friend practically dead to the world. Fighting off the stinging in her eyes as hot tears threatened to break free, Prue tilted her head back to look at the lights, feverishly batting her eyelashes to make it stop.

With some deep breathing and cold water on her face, Prue was eventually ready to go back out. By the time she returned to her desk, it was her normal arrival time, and unless she was summoned, there was no way she was going in Finnick's office. Busying herself with the schedule for next week, miscellaneous filing she had to do, and some small organizing around her work area, the girl did the best she could to take care of all the work that needed to be finished for tomorrow as well. Working ahead wasn't normally her strong suit but with the plan already decided to take off tomorrow from school, she figured it wouldn't hurt to take off work as well. An entire day in bed sounded downright heavenly at that moment.

In the three hours she worked, Finn never called her into the office, for which she was incredibly grateful. At ten 'til, she finally mustered the courage to knock on his door, but only entered at his word. Keeping her head up and shoulders back as she entered, Prue's eyes fixed on the small plaque behind her boss' head instead of his actual face. She couldn't stomach looking at his face in the moment.

"Sir, everything is done for today, and everything already set out for tomorrow. It's my last day of school tomorrow; would it be alright if I took tomorrow afternoon off? There's some after school get together with all the graduates."

Prue gave into the urge and let her eyes fall to Finnick's face; it was a first for her, taking in his somewhat embarrassed expression. Fighting the shocking urge to smile, the young girl bit down on her bottom lip to keep from warming up to the man. The urge to get sick was gone, but she was still highly displeased with the man. They were clearly never going to be anything more than boss and assistant, but the fact that just two days ago he had tried to shove his hand up her skirt and had now had sex with one of his business contacts in the same office didn't sit right with her.

"Oh, I completely forgot. Already graduation time, huh? Yes, absolutely, enjoy your long weekend before you start work full time." The man's smile was somewhat forced, possibly even nervous. Prue couldn't help it, and let an amused grin play on her lips. This Finnick was entertaining. Involuntarily taking a step back towards the door as he rose, she took in his confused and offended expression before dropping her head.

"Thank you, sir. Is there anything el—"

"I have something for you."

Stopping immediately once Finn began to speak, Prue's face contorted in confusion at her boss' words. A present? Looking up as the man turned to grab a box off his bookshelf, Prue carefully crossed the room, approaching the parcel as if it were a bomb. Looking back and forth between her boss and the gift, she took it, albeit apprehensively. Nodding her thanks, she quickly turned and exited the room before he could say or do anything else. As much as she wanted to never touch Finn again, her body didn't always seem to listen.

Taking her things from under her desk, the young girl glanced at the clock before taking her leave. Two minutes early was no big deal, and surely Finnick would let it slide given she arrived ten minutes early, thus catching him red handed. Walking towards town rather than the Village, she went to her father's bakery, finding after a day like today she could use a cookie. Taking a seat as Peeta continued his cleaning, she smiled weakly at him, hoping to play the fake sick bit for all it was worth. Turning her head as the bells on the door chimed, alerting them that someone had entered, Prue smiled warmly at Delly and Rory as they crossed to the counter to make small talk with her father. Picking at the cookie Peeta had brought her, she half listened to the conversation thought it was pretty dull for the most part. Paying for their bread, Prue squinted in their direction as she picked up the last part of their goodbye, having asked their old friend to keep an eye on the house this weekend since they would be out of town visiting Gale in District 2.

That night, before bed, Prue hoped she effectively convinced her mother of her illness – using the image of her boss and his indiscretion earlier as fuel to make her look as nauseated as possible. Quite frankly, Katniss would have let her daughter skip her last day of school even if she was perfectly fine. Turning down her bed before changing into her pajamas, Prue walked over to her window and pulled herself onto the windowsill. Watching the bright moon illuminate the houses in town as far as she could see, Prue couldn't help but feel a sense of calm for the first time that day.

Crawling into bed, she lay restless, thinking of everything she was going to say to her friend Deen when she confronted him tomorrow. It was going to be hard to keep him from throwing her out, but she was going to all but glue herself to the ground in front of him until she spoke her peace.

The next day, Prue was good to her word and stayed in bed the majority of the morning and afternoon. By the time she usually headed off to work, she couldn't stand it any longer and made her way into the bathroom for a long hot shower. Allowing it to dry itself, she pulled on her "weekend clothes", the old norm for her. Finding her hunting pants to be a bit loose, she opted for a pair of jeans her mother had given her. They were part of her dress up attire, but comfortable enough to wear any time. Grabbing a loose black short sleeve shirt, she headed down to find her mother. It wasn't often she asked for Katniss' assistance, but when she did, her mother's happiness was infectious, making Prue beam just by being around her.

With her hair intricately braided, Prue kissed her mother's cheek with mumbled thanks and set off. She wasn't sure how long she'd have to wait, but however long it was, it would surely be worth it. Taking the outlying woods, the girl wanted nothing to do with the quicker path that leads her through town. Graduation was always an exciting time for the town, but at the moment she couldn't feel less like celebrating. Cursing herself as she passed a handful of rabbits and a couple wild turkeys, Prue knew she should have grabbed her bow before heading out. Reminding herself this was not a time for hunting, the girl continued on. As the sun was just beginning to set, the orange sky casting a beautiful hue of light on the tops of house as she left the woods, Prue took her time walking the rest of the way to Deen's house. Arriving in the back portion that faced the forested area she'd left, Prue craned her neck around her friend's bedroom window to see if he was home before sliding it open and pulling herself through.

Taking her shoes off to leave by the window, Prue looked around the bedroom she'd already memorized from the numerous times she'd been in there over the years. Nothing had changed except the amount of dirty clothes on the floor despite the hamper being a few feet away. Picking them up and tossing them in the basket, the girl organized the small mess on her friend's desk and made his bed before taking a seat on it. She wondered if Deen had a date tonight, it would explain why he wasn't home yet. The bright chatter from the other side of the wall let her know that at least a couple of his sister's were home. Abigail definitely was according to the laugh that rang out moments ago. Reaching over to grab a book off his nightstand, Prue got comfortable as she flipped through it to pass the time.

Looking up as the front door shut, Prue turned back to the clock. Was it eight at night already? Glancing at the book to realize she was halfway through, she pushed herself to sit up, looking at the door eagerly like a dog waiting for its master. Smiling as the bedroom door opened, her happiness immediately passed as Deen walked in with the red-head from yesterday behind him. Staring at the two with an incredibly cold expression, it took all of five seconds for him to turn around and escort Pepper back to the living room. Hearing a faint conversation and angry huffs before the door slammed shut, Prue couldn't mask her amusement. Deen's face, however, was not as pleased as he re-entered his bedroom, slamming that door as well.

"What the hell, Prue?! Who let you in and why the hell are you just sitting in my room?" Tearing his jacket off and throwing it on the floor, Deen kicked his shoes at his closet before turning to look at his friend, his arms sternly crossed over his chest.

"You refused to talk to me, so I figured I'd make it so you had no choice." Her pleasant mood quickly depleted, Prue moved to the edge of the bed, her eyes still glued on Deen's angry but still handsome face.

"Seriously? It's called a phone, pick it up." Stepping backwards to sit on the edge of his desk, Prue could tell from years of experience he was already starting to calm down. It wouldn't be long before the two could have a conversation without screaming. Surely his sisters were already eagerly listening, their ears pressed against the joining wall.

"Oh yeah? I would do that if you ever bothered to man up long enough to talk to me!" Shoving herself up and off the bed, Prue stood tall as she glared at her friend. "I know you're all bum hurt because I don't want to date you right now, but my God you don't have to ignore me! You've known me your whole life, I would think that mattered more than getting your dick wet!"

Clenching her teeth as she saw the anger quickly resurface on Deen's face, Prue didn't move as he stepped closer to her, his face hovering above hers as his eyes burned with anger. She had an awful tendency to say things in the heat of the moment that she didn't mean, and this was definitely one of them.

"Are you fucking serious?! You think that's why I'm not talking to you?! You are one daft bitch, Prue Mellark, you know that?" Reflex overpowered logical and before she could think, Prue's hands were shoving Deen back towards the desk.

"Why the hell else would you be ignoring me?! I'm so sorry that I can't be at your beck and call, but I actually have a job. We can't all have the freedom to gallivant around town hooking up with any slut that will lift her skirt." The girl might as well have spit venom instead of words with as icy as they came out. The glare now permanently implanted on her face, Prue refused to move as Deen returned to her again, his hands itching to wrap themselves around her throat.

"I've been ignoring you because I can't fucking handle seeing you all head over heels with Mister Hot Shot Mayor! Seeing you dress like a damn slut to please him, it's like I don't even know who you are anymore!"

Without missing a beat, the words sunk in as Prue was already smacking her friend's chest and arms, shoving him back towards the desk in her brutal attack. She didn't want to actually punch the boy and hurt him, but if he continued insulting her, she might very well.

"They're fucking clothes, Everdeen! I'm not a slut, unlike the little tramp you just brought back! You think maybe you're just seeing in me what you can't bear to see in yourself, huh?!" Forcing herself back towards the bed before she did something she would regret, she conjured all her will to stay seated and not climb back out the window. She was like her mother in the sense she ran from difficult things rather than dealing with them, but she had a strong feeling if she left now with things unresolved there probably would be irreparable damage.

"So help me God, Prue I will smack the shit out of you." Deen's voice was so calm it chilled the girl to her bones. Continuing to stare at him, waiting to make a move, she absorbed the silence before letting her head fall.

"Whatever. I'm just saying, wrap it up. The bitches you get with probably have every disease known to man." Mumbling as her arms cross across her chest, she ignores the heat radiating from across the room from Deen's pointed look.

"And I'm just saying, don't be a jealous bitch."

Opening her eyes wide with shock as her head lifts to stare at Deen, Prue quickly grabs the book she was previously reading and hurls it at her friend. Snatching another book, a can of peanuts, and the few pens he had also on his nightstand, she let them fly at him as well before launching herself at the man. Pounding on his chest, Prue thrashed around, jerking back and forth as Deen wrapped his strong arms around her upper body to hold her small frame against his. Breathing heavy as hot tears stained her cheeks, Prue eventually gave up the fight and let her forehead rest against the boy's chest.

She hated to admit it to herself, but she was incredibly jealous. Any girl that got to be with Deen the way she was previously, or even more intimately so, made her skin crawl. Pulling her arms down from their entrapped place between them, Prue let them snake around the boy's waist, hugging him impossibly tight for the first time in the longest. Feeling Deen's grip eventually release from a defensive one to an all encompassing hug, Prue continued to cry quietly against his chest. It felt so insanely perfect being in his arms again after what felt like forever.

"You're not a jealous bitch, Pea.. I'm sorry." Kissing the girl's brown hair lightly, Deen reluctantly let go to pull away enough to see his friend's face. Reaching up to wipe her tears away, he couldn't fight the smile her tears brought. He loved how young and innocent she looked when she was vulnerable enough to cry. More so, he loved that he was one of the rare few that got to be around when it happened.

"No.. I really am. You're not a slut, though.. I am sorry." Refusing to let go of Deen completely, Prue settled for her hands on the boy's hips, idly playing with the hem of his shirt.

"I'm really not.." Laughing quietly, Deen let his hands move to his friend's cheeks, his large hands practically covering her entire face. Letting his thumbs brush over her cheekbones, the boy did everything in his power to not kiss her. "Seriously. I've kissed maybe two girls besides you, nothing more."

Feeling her eyebrows knot together, Prue pushed inquires aside as she pulled back from her friend. She didn't care for stories at the moment, the fighting and crying had completely exhausted her. Checking the clock on his desk, she bent over, lifting each foot to take off her socks. It was nearly nine o'clock and despite being in bed all day, she was actually tired. Unbuttoning her jeans, she paused to grin, taking in her friend's shocked expression as he stared at her.

"Calm down, killer. I'm tired. Let's go to bed." Dropping her pants, Prue's smile increased its intensity as Deen's eyes refused to leave her bare legs. Welcoming the warm flush that took over her cheeks, she reached out to unbutton her friend's pants as well, pushing them off to leave him in just his shirt and boxers. Taking his hand and leading him to bed, Prue moved to turn the light off before climbing into bed next to Deen. This was definitely not the way she had expected the night to go, but she was very grateful for the outcome.

"Deen…"

"Yes, Pea?"

"I was wrong."

"I know."

Laying in silence, Prue continued to stare at the ceiling as her head rest comfortably against the boy's chest, his arm securely wrapped around her to hold their bodies together. Still playing with the hem of his shirt, her eyes continued to stay locked on the light dancing on the ceiling. Nuzzling her head against her friend's chest, Prue let her head fall back to see Deen's face in the moonlight.

"Deen.."

"Yes Pea…"

"I love you."

"I know."


	9. Chapter 9 - desperate guys

It's early morning when Prue forces her eyes open, momentarily forgetting her surroundings before realizing the strong arm entrapping her small waist. Just as every night that week, the young girl had spent the evening talking to the point of exhaustion, and passing out in the apartment-like surroundings of the back half of Hazelle's laundry business. The woman was allowing Deen to sleep there, having understood the newly graduated young man would want his own space. She seemed almost too eager to go and stay with her son, Rory. Learning the ways of the shop weren't hard for Deen at all, seeing as every summer since he could talk he had been following his grandmother and learning her rules. Still, the book keeping, shop management, and other small details the woman didn't feel necessary to divulge to young boys was now all on the table as he flirted with the idea of taking over the business.

The reasoning behind Peeta and Katniss' choice to ignore the fact their daughter was having constant sleepovers with her best friend was unknown to Prue. She knew her parents were far from stupid, and the whole town now knew they were dating. That was the easiest direction to take things, however, with the mayor's growing advances on the young girl, she had no choice but to let him force her hand. Dating Deen Hawthorne wasn't the worst thing in the world, and quite frankly it didn't seem much different than what they were doing before she got her job with Finn. Her wording of their relationship, a constant reminder to her boss that she was strictly hands off, was the main reason behind her suggesting the two date.

Carefully lifting her friend's hand from her stomach, Prue did her very best to sneak out of bed without waking the boy up. The sun was just rising and while it was customary for her to hunt first thing Saturday mornings, this was going to be a different kind of morning. Finn had told her as she left work the night before that he was going to expect her to be ready at noon, their hovercraft would retrieve them from his residence at twelve-thirty, and they'd be in the capitol in time to freshen up before dinner at six that evening. That meant an early morning of prepping to look pristine for the more-important-than-she-could-fathom dinner.

"Are you going to sneak out of here before saying goodbye?"

Deen's voice, still husky with sleep, startled Prue as she stood silently in the middle of the room pulling her shoes on. Turning to give her boyfriend a beaming smile, she shook her head as she dived back into bed, tackling the large man against the mattress.

"I didn't want to wake you up."

Peppering kisses over his face, Prue found herself secretly grateful he'd woken up on his own to see her off. Today would be a dreadful day, and while she was looking forward to meeting so many important people, she couldn't get the gnawing feeling out of her head that Finn wasn't going to be a proper gentleman. She had purposely kept her graduation gift from her boss hidden from Deen, knowing that he would be incredibly unhappy with what the dress Finn gifted her suggested. Instead of a card, a simple note ordering Prue to wear the dress to their "work" dinner was in the gift box

"When will you be home?"

Between Deen nuzzling her hair, his nose trying to break the veil of hair to nudge her neck, and his strong arms enveloping her in a hug, Prue wasn't quite sure she'd be able to leave if he kept it up. Groaning as she forced herself back, breaking the lock his arms had made to sit up on top of him, the girl fought a pout tugging at her full lips as she stared at the newly woken boy.

"Tomorrow afternoon? I'm not quite sure. I think Finn said we were staying in the president's building, having breakfast, then coming back. Can I hold up in here until you're done with work?"

Much like his dear uncle Gale, Deen was terrible at masking his emotions. Still, he tried to feign a calm demeanor as his temper was threatening to burst.

"Yeah, whatever. Won't Peeta and Katniss miss their darling girl? So many nights away from home with strange men… surely they worry."

Glaring at her friend, Prue quickly swatted his chest before pushing herself off him and the bed.

"You don't have to be an ass, Deen. Be a jealous hag, whatever. I'll see you when I see you."

Prue wasn't one to stomp, having been so accustomed to treading lightly in the woods, but in her angered state she did her best to walk heavily across the wooden floor. Grabbing her jacket off the back of the chair she'd left it on the night before, she was forced to stop as Deen's arms suddenly wrapped themselves around her waist, pulling her entire frame back against his.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Don't leave mad. I'm just tired and cranky. I don't like sharing my girlfriend with her creepy boss."

His lips on her head calmed Prue a little, but his confession quickly won her over. Turning in his arms to hug the tall boy, her tiny arms squeezing him tightly to her, the girl smiled against his bare chest. Girlfriend had been such a stupid term in her head, yet every time he said it, it had a way of making her almost giddy. She blamed her stupid teenage hormones.

"I don't like being shared either, Deen. I'm yours, though.. don't forget." Tugging his body against hers, Prue smirked up at her friend, her flickering with amusement. "And you're _mine_, don't forget that either."

Having chosen to enlist Johanna in helping her get ready rather than Katniss, Prue knew while her mother had the ability to look stunning and very feminine, it was never on her own accord. There were people that made her look elegant, and those people were no where to be found to assist her daughter. Her fun-loving, always beautiful aunt was the only one fit for the job that Prue trusted, and getting to unload while the woman worked was an added bonus.

"I don't know what to do about Finn. I mean he's downright crude with his remarks and 'accidental' touches. I mean, how can someone so attractive come off so revolting?"

Letting out an exasperated sigh as Johanna worked on Prue's hair, curling and pinning it to look reminiscent of someone from the 1940s, Johanna's face turned from her normal concentrated one to one of pure amusement.

"Oh Sparky, that's men for you. Even the most attractive can be assholes. Look at your boyfriend's dear uncle. After the war, I flirted with the idea of starting something up with that man. He was so busy with work and what not, I was more than happy to let himself bury his frustration after a long day in.. well, me. After a while, I'd realized mindless fucking wasn't the answer to all the emptiness I'd been left with, and decided to make him choose an actual relationship with me, or I was going to come back here. While it's not sexually gratifying, being with your mom and dad makes me feel less empty… Anyway, one day after work, I gave him the ultimatum, and let's say he was less than thrilled. I'd gone from adoring that man and being addicted to sex with him to.. absolutely revolted and terrified of him in two minutes flat."

Stepping back to admire her work, Johanna's face hadn't changed after going back to her concentrated look despite her intense story. Prue, in shock from her aunt's revelation, had to all but manually push her mouth shut so the older woman could attack her with spray to keep her hair from budging. What was Johanna confessing to exactly?!

"Anyway.. makes things a lot easier. Even when I do see him though, now.. I don't really feel that disgust. It's nice.. I don't feel much of anything looking at him."

Patting the girl's bare back to get her out of the chair, Johanna shoves her friend's daughter into the bedroom.

"Someday you'll feel the same about Finn. Now get dressed, you fancy slut."

Johanna had no filter, and for that Prue was normally grateful. The first time she showed her aunt the dress Finn had gifted her, the older woman's reply was something along the lines of "you'll be getting laid tonight". It wasn't overtly sexy, but it was definitely the most revealing thing she'd ever owned. The deep v-cut of the black, lace covered gown was practically down to her naval, and while it was covered with black sheer fabric, it still made her feel incredibly exposed. The long, flowing skirt was no place for her modesty to hide, either. Despite it being floor length and fit for a high society function, the slit exposed the majority of her leg, albeit covered by black sheer fabric as well.

Standing in her aunt's full length mirror examining herself, Prue felt cheap, even if the gown probably cost more than she'd make in a year. Turning to see as much of the exposed back as possible, the girl quickly looked to her aunt as she entered the room with black, too-tall-to-be-safe heels. Looking expectantly at the older woman, Johanna just laughed as she crossed her own bedroom.

"Oh Pea, you look stunning."

Dropping in front of the blonde to pull the hem of the dress up, Johanna helped her niece into the stilettos. Standing up to re-assess the young woman, making sure the scarlet red lipstick was perfect along with her other minimal makeup, Johanna lifted her finger, spinning it, to tell Prue to turn around. Walking up behind the now much taller girl, Jo grinned as she wrapped her arms lovingly around the young woman's waist.

"If Mr. Too-big-for-his-britches Mayor gets handsy, this slit will come in handy. Gives you just enough leeway to bring your knee up to his crotch."

Leaving her at the mirror, Johanna excused herself in hopes of finding a small clutch to match the dress. Handing over the miniature purse, the ladies hugged briefly before Jo swatted behind Prue, rushing her out of the house. The walk to the mayor's house was not going to be a pleasant one in her current shoes, but even with the obscene amount of money her parents had, they hadn't found it necessary to own a car. Stepping down Johanna's front porch steps, Prue stopped mid-step as a black car in front of her own house caught her eye.

Striding over purposely slow, the young girl glared at the dark windows, doing her best to see who was driving it. Scoffing as a formally dressed man hopped out of the driver seat and rushed to open the back door, Prue continued to the car, although less concerned now. Asia Fuller had gone to school with her but graduated a couple years before. He wasn't someone she remembered for his bubbly personality, but more so for his quiet but strong presence. Prue always thought they'd get along if he ever looked at her for more than a split second to encourage her to speak to him. Nodding her thanks as she carefully got in the car, she wondered what her former classmate was doing as a chauffeur. Drumming her hands idly against her lap as she was taken to the mayor's house, Prue felt frozen to her seat as she saw Finn waiting outside. Watching him cross the short expanse to join her in the car, she let her eyes stay glued to her boss as he moved stealthily. Even with her distain for how crude he had been as of late, she couldn't deny, without lying, how incredibly stunning the man looked in his perfectly tailored black suit and simple black bow tie. Did men seriously still wear those? Laughing quietly, and simultaneously letting out the breath she had been holding, Prue feigned a bright smile as Finn settled in his seat.

"You look very nice, sir."

"My, my… as do you, Miss Mellark. Glad to see the dress fits so perfectly. You're really wearing it like you're doing it a favor."

Laughing again, genuinely bright this time, Prue couldn't fight the roll of her eyes as they headed off. Confused as to where they were driving, having assumed the hovercraft would get them at Finn's house, Prue was quickly answered as they took the very short ride to the train station.

"We're taking a short train ride to district 6, together we'll ride with their mayor, along with 8, 9, and 11. It'll be like a pre-party party."

Allowing Asia to help her out of the car, Prue offered a small smile but was only given a nod in reply. Confused, she followed Finn up the platform and onto the waiting train.

An hour long train ride, a short cocktail hour with all-business men where Prue was forced into small talk with their wives, and a stomach turning hovercraft flight, they finally arrived in the capitol with the rest of the districts hierarchy. If Prue had ever felt out of place back home, it had failed in comparison to the way she felt arriving in the large city. Everyone was insanely dressed, oddly colored, pretentious as the day was long, and not phased in the least by their presence. Taking Finn's offered arm to escort her, the girl held onto her boss tightly as a means to keep from tripping over her incredibly tall heels. Even if Finn made her skin crawl, he was still her only connection to her district in the moment, and thus the only place she felt somewhat safe.

Unfortunately, her death grip on his arm, and close proximity was giving off a different vibe to Finn than anticipated. Following the group into the elevator, they all departed, two at a time, to one respective floor before ascending to another. Finally, with just Finn and Prue left, the doors opened to an exquisite apartment. The brightly colored furniture popped against the gray walls, and the tall ceilings made the towering girl finally feel proportionate again. Looking around in awe as she stepped out of the elevator, the crawling of her skin finally brought her back to the ground.

"I cannot get over how delicious you look in this dress, Prue."

Feeling Finn's hand rake slowly down her back, the girl slowly walked forward, leaving him standing by himself in the foyer as she made her way to the living room to inspect their quarters. She really hoped they had more than one bedroom.

"These were the condos they used for tributes back in the day…"

Quickly stopping her adoration for the place where so many children came to wait before they died unceremoniously, Prue felt her already pale face completely devoid of color. Turning to look at her boss, her wide, scared eyes asking the question her avox-like mouth couldn't.

"Yep, your mom and dad were the last ones to stay in here before it was turned into just another outrageously priced pad to house important people."

"I… have you… your parents…"

Sighing heavily as her stomach sank, Prue reached for the couch before stumbling over and falling onto the plush seat.

"Yeah, this place has that affect on a lot of people who actually had family or close friends stay here in it's original state."

Looking at the surprisingly human Finn, she reached over to squeeze his hand. This was where his parents lost their childhood as well. Stealing her hand away before it could warm against his, Prue hastily brushed a few stray tears away from her cheeks. Shaking her head clear of depressing thoughts, she carefully stood up, teetering for a minute on her heels before excusing herself to the restroom.

What could possibly be more awkward than an entire dining hall full of mayors from districts around Panem? Why, being the only one there that wasn't a spouse of the government official, of course! What could possibly be worse than being your boss' date and looked down upon by all the other women in the room? Being fawned over like you were the main course because you were the Mockingjay's daughter, of course. If this wasn't the longest, most miserable dinner of her life, Prue was sure the only comparison would be in Hell.

Stealing herself away from the table once everyone had finished their dessert and successfully asked every question imaginable about Katniss Everdeen, Prue was ready to storm out of the capitol that very moment. Relaxing against a vacant hallway to take deep breaths, the young girl was abruptly taken out of her calm state by two strong hands on her hips. Looking at her boss with wide eyes, she relaxed momentarily as she waited for him to release her.

"Do we really have to stay til morning? I just want to go home.."

"Oh MockingJunior, don't be such a defeatist. You're Katniss Everdeen's daughter, go in there and give them all the 'fuck you' look your mother coined so beautifully.."

Prue had been patient, but Finn was not releasing her, and the increasing proximity was making her stomach turn.

"I didn't hear anything about Finnick the Great and you being his clone. This is just uncomfortable. I don't want to be here."

Doing her best to pull away, Finn's grip only seemed to tighten, holding his secretary firm against the wall in front of him.

"Listen up, little girl. You are in the capitol. In the president's home. The least you can do is be grateful, you little bitch. Now shut up about going home, get back in there and answer their questions politely with the best smile you can muster."

The once proper and kind Finn seemed to die now that they were in the capitol. Clearly she was wrong about him being more genuine the closer to the capitol they got. District 4 held the only good Finn that existed, apparently. Reaching up reflexively to shove firmly against the mayor's hard chest, her angry expression fell quickly as his anger became instantly palpable.

"Do you seriously think you have a say in anything that goes on here, little girl?!"

The man's voice was low and harsh, yet still quiet enough to not be detected by the others from the dining room a couple yards away. Feeling as helpless as a ragdoll as Finn all but drug her down the hallway to one of the closed doors, Prue tried her best to pull herself out of his grasp once he shut the door behind them after occupying the room.

"Your sass is only cute for so long, Mellark."

Hastily unbuttoning his suit jacket, Prue watched in horror, as if she was standing on the sidelines watching everything going on in front of her. She knew Finnick was strong and fast, but in the moment, his movements were so fluid, she was unsure where one action stopped and another began. In a matter of seconds, it seemed, her district's mayor had her shoved against the edge of a desk in the dim room, though the light from the setting sun coming through the floor-to-ceiling length window illuminated everything well enough. It was bright enough to see the anger and desire in his eyes, and the fear in her own if he had bothered to look. As it was, the man was far too busy hiking up her flowing dress and pinning her hips against the table to pay attention to Prue's face.

"I have the potential to be the president, Prue. Yet you're shacking up with a fucking teenager whose highest ambition is to own his grandmother's laundry business?! Do you honestly think you're too good for me, little girl? What? Just because you're Katniss Everdeen's girl you can say no to _me_? Newsflash, sweetheart, I get whatever the hell I want."

The girl's efforts to push Finnick away were futile, and even with her squirming on the desk, she was relatively powerless under his incredibly strong physique. Jerking her face away from his as the man tried to kiss her, Prue quickly began searching the desk for a hard, heavy object as her boss tried figuring out the clasp on the back of her dress.

"So, have you let that pathetic excuse of a boyfriend deflower you yet, Prudence? Or do I get the honor.."

Taking the last opportunity given to her as Finnick moved his hands to unbuckle his belt and unfasten his trousers, Prue hiked her leg up, shockingly grateful that he'd moved her dress out of the way for her already, as she grasped a clear but solid paper weight a few inches away. Swinging the weight quickly against the side of Finn's head, Prue quickly kicked his stomach with her heeled foot, sending him crashing to the floor a few feet away. Jumping off the table and running as best as she could in six inch heels, Prue paused for a second to breathe and gather her bearings before realizing which way lead out. Excusing herself from her dining guests, the young girl was thankful for the security of the elevator putting distance between her and the creep she used to work for. Still pumping with adrenaline as she knew it wasn't the finish line yet, Prue exited the president's building and made an a-line for the train station. Collapsing on the platform once she'd found her way to a bench, Prue studied the departures while debating if she wanted to go to her grandmother's or home.

It would take about a day to get home, but it was the only option at that moment. She needed to see her mom and hug her dad, she needed to see Cinnick and Johanna, but mainly she needed to tell Deen how much she genuinely loved him and how thankful she was that he wasn't just another asshole like most men.

After making her way onto the train and speaking with one of the employees, explaining how she left her purse at the President's home but there was an emergency she needed to get home for – they settled for billing Mayor Odair after the fact and let her settle into one of the smaller cars. At that moment, all she wanted was a long, hot shower, and clothes that only showed her hands and neck.

Realizing she had slept through the night and half of the day when the train jolted her awake, Prue made her way to the dining car to get food before returning to her cabin to change out of her comfortable sleep clothes and back into the awful dress she had already decided to set on fire at the earliest convenience. Her makeup gone, hair in it's trademark braid, and barefoot, it was like the last ten minutes of Mrs. Orchard's class on a Friday for the remainder of the trip. Staring out the window, praying District 12's platform would magically appear, Prue fell asleep again, only to be woken up abruptly by one of the train employees.

"District 12, ma'am."

Practically leaping out of her place by the window, ignoring her ill manners or bare feet, Prue began to run. Leaping down the stairs and ignoring the gravel shooting pain against her bare soles as she swiftly moved across the square and into town, the young girl found herself running harder than she could ever remember. Holding onto her aunt's shoes for dear life, Prue found a smile tracing her lips as her breathing quickened to match her tread. It was surprisingly cathartic to run, as if increasing your need for air in your lungs somehow diminished all the troubles around you. Stopping only once she got to Hazelle's laundry service's back door, Prue held herself up against the door frame, panting hard as she patiently waited for her breathing to return to a normal state. Knocking one of the heels against the door, she repeated the process until the movement of heavy feet against the wood floor alerted her of Deen's presence.

"I ran… I hit…Finn's just... You're… Fantastic, I'm so… sorry, don't… Love you so m—"

Despite her words not merging together in a normal fashion, and between her eratic breathing, Deen seemed to somehow know some of what his friend was trying to convey. Smiling warmly at Prue as he watched her chest finally slow in it's heaves, the equally barefoot boy reached out to offer her his hand.

"Come in, Pea. Listen, there's something I—"

"Who's at the—Oh, hey Prue."

Looking up at Deen, and past him to another figure in the dimly lit room, Prue looked quickly back and forth to her friend and the red head she had more or less told to fuck off the last time she saw her. Stumbling backwards as her face conveyed the bewilderment her voice couldn't, Deen immediately sensed her fear and confusion and shook his head.

"Pea, it's not what you think…"

Unfortunately, his words were lost under the sound of bare feet hitting the ground taking Prue back towards Victor's Village. Turning to look at the girl in his makeshift apartment, Deen let out a heavy sigh as he shut the door. Raising his hands to rub over his face roughly as his back slammed against the wooden frame, he ignored the girl he offered his couch to in her time of need. If the stubborn blonde had stayed five minutes he could have explained their classmate's predicament, thus illuminating any and all confusion for Prue. Five minutes and Prue could have confided in Deen how she was almost raped and left her boss for dead - although she was fairly certain she didn't hit him hard enough to fracture his skull. Instead, the two were back where they were weeks before - not speaking.


	10. Chapter 10 - mind games

When Prue left the captiol, she was unaware of everything that transpired. She was unaware that a beautiful woman came into the study where Finnick lay unconscious but very much alive. She was unaware of how this socialite nursed him to health while the party continued on in the other room. There was no way of knowing that Finnick would confide in this perfect stranger, laying out his deception of Katniss Everdeen and Peter Mellark's daughter in hopes of getting in better with the people of the capitol. Nor did she know that the woman Finn spoke with would turn out to be the deceased president Snow's granddaughter – a woman that grew up knowing only hate. The majority of that hate directed primarily at Katniss Everdeen, who she coined as the reason for her grandfather's demise. Prue had no idea that this woman would immediately start a tale of deception herself as she seduced Finnick Odair in hopes he would bring her back to the district he oversaw. It would be his idea, afterall, and with her last name changed no one would know she was the only living relative of the president Katniss killed.

When Finnick brought the woman, Briar Dunbryll as she was called, back to district 12 the night after the party in the capitol, it was she who encouraged him to apologize to the "poor Mellark girl", explaining to his secretary that it was a momentary lapse of judgment, too much wine, and just decision making on his part. Finnick needed a secretary, and that Mellark girl seemed to hold things together pretty well, according to what Finn told his new lady. In all honesty, Briar didn't care about Finnick's well being or his job security, but he was attractive, and would be a perfect pawn for what she wanted to get done. Phase one would have to involve Finn keeping Prue employed, though, and for that she would have to convince him it was his idea to apologize to her.

Monday morning came and went, and by mid-afternoon Prue was still in bed. Her mother had come in to inquire about her health, figuring the young girl had to have been sick to miss a day of work. Prue rode that idea, figuring her mental state was a harder excuse to explain, and her lack of a job was even more difficult.

"Deen called for you, Pea."

Her mother had brought her a tray full of the girl's favorite foods for lunch, although her father was surely to blame for the majority of the culinary magic. Katniss had learned a bit from Peeta over the years, but she was still hopeless in the kitchen for the most part. Thanking her mother, Prue rolled back over in bed, opting to hibernate under the sheets instead of eating.

"Prue, honey.. your boss is on the phone. He said he was worried because you didn't show up for work today."

The idea of Finnick calling for her made Prue's stomach turn almost as much as the idea of going to work. Fanning her mother away from her place under her sheets, she mumbled something about calling him later before pulling her hand back into the down-feather comforter she was now using as her fort. It wasn't until evening when she heard knocking at the front door and footsteps in the hall that she finally made a move to get out of her bed. Running into her bathroom in hopes of escaping visitors, she figured taking a shower was as good of an excuse as any to not speak to someone. Taking an extra long, extra hot shower like she had on her train ride home, Prue eventually emerged after an hour, feeling like a raisin but a clean one. Wrapping her hair in a towel and her body in the fluffiest robe known to man, she headed back into her room, practically tripping over herself as her mind wanted her to retreat to the bathroom but her feet kept moving when she saw the man sitting on her bed.

"That's a really good look for you, Pea.."

Ignoring his teasing words, Prue crossed the room and opened her bedroom door that had been closed after Deen's arrival. Standing silently while she waited for him to go, the boy eventually gave in, crossing the room and standing at the door in front of his friend.

"Listen. Let me have ten minutes to explain, and if you still want me to go, I will. Honestly woman, you're almost eighteen years old. Don't you think it's time for you to stop running from things?"

While her mind told her to flinch at his fingertips pushing a wet stray hair behind her ear and under the towel, habit had urged her to lean into his hand. Closing the door but not moving from her place by it, Prue crossed her arms over her chest as she watched Deen retreat to his bed. Sighing in defeat, she followed suit, crossing to take a seat on the edge of her bed. For the first time that day, her desire for food had returned. Grabbing a cold but still delicious cheese bun from the tray her mother had left, Prue looked expectantly at her friend.

"I didn't lie to you when I said I've only ever kissed a girl besides you, okay? That being said… Pepper came over the other night, the night you left.. she said she had run away from home because of all the fighting. You know at the end of the school year she had just broken things off with that Alto Selkirk guy, right? Well, we had a couple dates, she was nice enough but obviously wanted more and I was still too hung up on you to even contemplate that."

"So why did you bring her to your bedroom that night.."

Stopping Deen's explanation to demand her own answers, Prue found herself already relaxing as her friend explained why the ginger was at his place. The simple fact that he had no interest in anyone else made her anxiety dissipate just a fraction.

"She had wanted to talk about things, and I told her we could go back to my place but nothing was going to happen, and if she even tried to kiss me I would ask her to leave. So boundaries were set with her. So the night you were in the capitol, she showed up at the back door of the laundry shop. I guess she'd gone to my window and Abigail had told her where I was. So she showed up, said her parents hated her and I told her to come in and explain. An hour later, I told her she could sleep there, separate, but there."

"Why did she say her parents hated her?"

Glaring at Deen as he laughed warmly at her, she flinched as he reached out to take her hand. Taking the hint and retreating to his respective corner of the bed, her friend smiled warmly at the naïve girl.

"She's pregnant, Pea. With Alto's kid."

Letting her mouth fall open, still half full of cheese bread, Prue was at a loss for words as she took in the information. That poor girl probably felt like she had nowhere to go, and Deen being the knight in shining armor he was, let her stay. How could she be such an idiot?!

"Where is she now…"

"We talked, and I said I'd take her to her parents and stay there while she talked to them, but she said she wanted me to go with her to see Alto instead. They talked, I listened.. it was really awkward. Anyway, turned out Alto was heartbroken when they broke up, wanted to ask her to marry him after graduation, but she dumped him. So he was thrilled that they had a reason to be together.. and I think Pepper was pretty relieved to not be alone in this. I don't know if she loves him, though."

Deen was ever the romantic, it was a sentiment that made Prue's chest swell with warmth. Tons of people married out of necessity, even now after the war. Still, no Hawthorne would find himself in that situation if given the choice. Stuffing the last of the bun in her mouth before standing up, Prue crossed the small space between them and parted Deen's legs with her own to stand in front of him, her knees against the mattress. Pulling his head forward to hug his body to hers, Prue savored the embrace and the food for a few moments before speaking.

"You're such a good guy, Everdeen. Seriously. I don't know many men that would be as genuinely caring as you are."

Pulling away to see her friend's face, his beaming expression made the girl laugh as she reached up to stroke his cheek.

"Yeah, I'm kind of a catch."

Rolling her eyes, Prue shoved him backwards, letting his body fall against the mattress as she walked away. Getting some clean undergarments, a long sleeved shirt, and comfortable pants, Prue excused herself to go to the bathroom to change. It wasn't like Deen hadn't seen her naked before, but after the incident with Finn she didn't want to be that bare to any man, but mainly she didn't want to answer any questions about the light bruising her former boss had left on her pale skin. Returning looking much more like herself, Prue jumped onto her bed and pulled her comforter up to her chin.

"So why are you hibernating in bed? Your mom said you didn't go to work today? And when you were mumbling things when you ran to my place the other night you'd said something about hitting, and Finn. Related?"

Groaning as she sunk under her fort once more, Prue hoped if she stayed under long enough she wouldn't have to answer any of his questions, or at least buy herself enough time to think of good excuses. The odds were not in her favor.

"Is there a password to get in?"

Looking at Deen's face as he slipped under the covers by her feet, Prue smiled warmly as she nodded in response. Moving her legs to allow her friend space to writhe under the covers, eventually making his way up to the pillow next to her, Prue looked fearfully at her friend. He knew her better than anyone, and if she tried to lie, he would definitely call her out.

"The password is: I'll-tell-you-everything-but-you-have-to-promise-you-won't-turn-into-a-rage-monster-and-try-and-beat-anyone-up."

"Holy hell, Pea… how is anyone supposed to remember that?"

"That's the point, genius."

Laughing together quietly under the covers, Deen nodded his agreement to her proposal, remaining silent as she explained the events of Saturday to him. Idly playing with strands of her wet hair, his light touches immediately stopped, one hand moving to grip the pillow his head rested on, the other fisting at the hem of his own shirt. By the time she got to the part where she ran from the train to his place, Deen's knuckles were white from squeezing his fists so tightly, and his face, albeit under covers, was pale. Stopping her story as she read her friend's expression, Prue felt her heart start racing. It never occurred to her before that Deen would be mad, but what if he was mad at her? He had told her repeatedly that he didn't like her working for Finn, and time and time again Prue had explained he was harmless. What if Deen had blamed Prue for putting herself in that situation, and thus blaming her for almost being taken advantage of.

"Deen.. oh please say something. Even if you just yell at me, say something!"

Stopping herself from reaching out to take one of his clenched fists, Prue knew subconsciously she couldn't stand it if he jerked away from her. After all the weight that had been lifted off her shoulders with Pepper's story, and her own confession of the other night, the addition of Deen's anger would probably destroy all her resolution to keep from crying.

"Yell _at you_?! Why the hell would I yell at _you_?!"

Watching Deen shove the covers down and sit up, his face was still pale but his eyes were dark and clearly angry. Clenching the covers unintentionally as she stared at her friend, Prue couldn't help but feel like an errant child with the tone Deen was using.

"The only reason I want to yell at you is for making me promise I wouldn't rip that fuckers head off!"

Allowing her friend to pull her to a sitting position and wrap his arms securely around her, Prue gave in to the embrace, tightly wrapping her arms around his larger body to hug to her own.

"I'm sorry, Dee."

Burying her face in the nape of the boy's neck, Prue's eyes betrayed her as a small gathering of hot tears burned their way past her eyelashes and onto her friend's shirt.

"What?! Why the hell are _you _sorry?!"

Leaning back as Deen's arms forced them apart, his eyes were still angry, but appeared to be fighting another equally strong emotion. Empathy, maybe? Dropping her eyes to the mattress between them as he reached up to wipe her tears away, Prue let out a low, quiet laugh.

"I should have listened to you. I never should have taken that job. I can't believe I ever liked that asshole."

"Pea, you cannot blame yourself for this. I'm serious. None of this is your fault. The dude is charming, it's no wonder even you were immune to it."

Looking up with a newfound anger, Prue glared at Deen as her hands lightly shoved him backwards.

"What do you mean 'even you'? Like I'm defective otherwise?"

Laughing brightly as he reached out and pulled the girl back against his body, Deen intentionally hugged her tightly, trapping her arms in the embrace to lock them by her sides.

"Yes, Pea.. you are defective."

Fighting playfully to get out of the embrace, Deen finally let his friend go only to be tackled against the bed. Even her light, playful hits occasionally hurt, but he accepted them graciously, figuring it was better to be briefly in pain than to see her suffering. Eventually Prue stopped, collapsing on top of her friend and resting comfortably against him – her head against his shoulder, his arms wrapped securely around her waist, legs all intertwined. Resting together but silent, the two were in worlds of their own, quietly assessing everything that was ailing them at the moment.

Jerking away from Deen out of habit as a knock came at the door, Prue leaped out of bed to cross the expanse and open the door, expecting her mother. Instead, she was faced with her brother who she felt like she hadn't seen in years. Reaching out to grab his wrist, she swiftly pulled him into her bedroom and slammed the door behind him. Dragging him to the bed to join herself and Deen, Prue pulled her brother into her lap, tightly wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her head against his back between his shoulder blades.

"Uh… hello to you too..?"

Laughing as he sat obediently, not fighting to get out of his sister's sudden embrace, Cinnick looked fearfully at his friend Deen as to ask what was going on. Deen fought back his laughter as he shrugged in the younger boy's direction.

"Cinni, I don't spend nearly enough time with you, why don't we have a sleep over tonight? You, me, Deen.. you can even invite your girlfriend Rosie, if you'd like."

Turning finally in his sister's arms, Cinnick gave a very confused however amused expression as he examined his sister's face. Leaning in close to study her pupils, he leaned back as his head shook.

"Are you on drugs?"

"Yes, grandmother sent me morphling. No, you ass! Can't a girl just miss her brother without illegal use of medicine tainting it?!"

Lightly shoving Cinnick away, the young boy eagerly took the chance to make his getaway. Jumping off the bed and putting several feet between them, he beamed brightly at his sister as she glared in his direction.

"As much as I love cuddling you, sis.. I love food more. That's why I knocked. Mom sent me to tell you dinner is ready."

Watching her brother run out of the room, Prue shook her head slowly as she watched the open door, as if she were waiting for him to return. Turning to look at Deen who was still wearing his highly amused grin, Prue smiled back before reaching over to shove him sideways and effectively off the bed.

The following days were surprisingly normal, and welcomed in that sense. Following Deen to work every morning to open shop and learn the ways of his grandmother's laundry business was far from exciting, but after the past weeks, it was greatly appreciated. Each day after helping her friend, she'd return home, and each day she would have another message from her mother that the mayor had called for her. Each day she ignored it, consumed with only the good in life at the moment. Talking to Finn would be a harsh reminder of all the things she didn't want to remember, and just the thought of hearing his voice made her feel ill.

"Dad, do you think next week I could hang out with you in the bakery? Maybe try my hand at icing cakes or something."

She'd decided midweek that laundering things was not in her best interest if her sanity was to be salvaged. That night at dinner, she had finally arrived at the decision to make a move.

"What happened with your job with Finn? Did you not like it?"

Giving her mother a look that discouraged her from asking any more, Cinnick quickly broke in, much to his sister's relief.

"Pea, will you ask Deen if I can hang out with him? You can take my place in the bakery, I think I'm getting carpal tunnel. Oh, and did you hear about that Pepper girl you graduated with?!"

"Oh, definitely, Cinni. I'm sure Deen would love to have another boy around while having to steam womens undergarments. Surely that work is emasculating."

Beaming brightly at her brother, she winked knowingly at him as he gave her a look that spoke volumes of just how manly her boyfriend must feel dealing with the unmentionables of the town's women.

"I didn't think you got into the idle gossip of your lame classmates, Cinn.. what gives?"

"It's not gossip.. well, maybe. Pepper is getting married next month. Can you believe it? It feels like forever since we've had a proper party."

Looking across the table, Prue's face paled significantly as she soaked in the words her brother spoke. Did that mean no one knew about the pregnancy? Surely if they got married quickly they could pass it off as the newlyweds getting pregnant while on their honeymoon. Oh this was rich. Opening her mouth to reply, the girl froze as she heard a knock on the door. Deen hardly used the front door, and they rarely had unexpected visitors. Excusing herself from the table, Prue stopped in the living room as soon as she looked to the front door, the glass panel showing her guest before she needed to open the door.

"Pea, who is it?"

Shaking her head at her mother, Prue sighed heavily before crossing the room and exiting the house. Walking past Finn and down the stairs to stand in the lawn a good enough distance from her house, she turned to look at her boss, arms immediately crossing over her chest. If she was going to get vocal with the man, the last thing she wanted was for her parents to hear.

"What are you doing here? What do you want?!"

"Prue.. listen, I'm sorry. I came here to apologize. I know you probably can't forgive me, but I've been trying to get a hold of you since it happened. I've felt like such an ass.."

Reaching out as soon as the man got in arm's length, Prue drug her former boss farther away from her house and stopped only once they entered the street.

"Good! You should feel like an ass, because that's exactly what you are! You shouldn't be sorry! Nothing should have happened for you to be sorry about, but there was, and I don't care if you are. I swear, if you don't leave me alone.."

"Prue, look, I wasn't myself! I drank a lot, and I was surrounded by all those people who were making me feel so inferior, I just-"

"You just what?! You felt like you had to forcibly exert your power over someone smaller and less important than you?! Did it make you feel like a real man?! You're disgusting. I don't care if you were drunk out of your skull, there's no excuse."

Watching Finn's head drop as he suddenly found something more interesting on the pavement to examine than looking at Prue's face, the girl sighed quietly as she finally took a deep breath. It felt good to yell at this man, getting out all the anger she'd been holding back for a week. Seeing how pathetic he looked didn't help, however.

"Look.. you're an asshole. You said a lot of really shitty things on top of trying to have non-consensual relations with your employee. I doubt I'll ever like you as a person, but as long as you keep your distance, I guess I can forgive you for being despicable."

Letting her arms fall to her side as she calmed down finally, her voice no louder than her normal tone, Prue took a step back towards her house before turning to look at Finn again.

"You know.. I was really hoping the Finn that I was with in District 4 was going to be the norm. I thought we could actually have something. Who knows… I might have even given my virginity to you without you trying to take it from me unwillingly. I really liked you…"

Leaving the older man at the street, Prue returned to her house, locking the door behind her before running upstairs to her bedroom. She didn't know that Briar had called Finn back to the path leading back to town after watching the altercation between them. Nor did she know that it was exactly what the older woman had hoped for, knowing that such a scene would only be fuel to add to the fire in getting Finn to hate the Everdeen-Mellark family as much as she did. Unfortunately for Briar, she was on the same wave length as Prue in thinking Finn would hate the young girl after she spent the last fifteen minutes yelling at him. For Finn, hearing the acceptance of his apology, accompanied by her genuine interest in the real him, the uncorrupted him, made his heart ache with genuine regret. Given the power he had after listening to all his capitol-bred classmates for years, Finn had given in to the mindset that having things handed to him was the norm. The weekend he had spent with Prue in his home district was indeed the real him, a person who now seemed to live a lifetime ago.

"Come Finnick, darling.. Let's go home."

Walking hand in hand with Briar, Finn remained silent as they headed home. All he could think about was how much he despised the man he had become when all he had hoped to be was the man he though his father would be proud of. In contrast, Briar spent the entire walk scheming on ways she could draw out the suffering she planned for Prue and her family. She wanted the woman that killed her grandfather to suffer greatly before ending her just as she had the president's. What greater way to break down a woman than by making her watch her children and husband suffer immensely, knowing that in no way could she stop it? Laughing brightly at her thoughts, Briar turned to look at Finnick with surprise as his face expressed the confusion he felt.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Oh Finnick dear, I think I'm going to be very happy here."


End file.
